Electrician looking to work/holiday in australia

[jimg92]

Hi all,

 

I am an electrician with 5 years experience in the power station industry (including 4 year apprenticeship program). I am thinking of applying for the one year working holiday visa for Australia, as I have heard of very good opportunities out there in the mines for electricians. What are the steps/processes I need to start to get the ball rolling?

 

Some of my qualifications are;

 

• NVQ level 3 in electrical engineering technology maintenance
  
• HNC level 4 in Engineering
  
• City and Guilds level 3 wiring regs BS 7671 (2382)
  
• City and Guilds level 2 medium risk confined spaces
  

 

 

Could anyone tell me what category of electrician I would be in Aus? Also would I still have to carry out the skills assessment for the working holiday visa?

 

Thanks

Jim

[Petals]

Getting work in Aus as an electrician can be difficult due to the requirements in each State which are different. So as you travel around you may find that in one State you may be able to work in others you may find it difficult. There is an Electricians thread in the Job section here and if you have a read through you will see the problems others have faced and are facing with their qualifications.

 

Good luck

[Britpop]

Getting work as and Electrician on a WHV I don't think will be too difficult from the experience of people we know who've done it, but on the mines is very unlikely. Also, while you bring home the big bucks there, your essentially packing two weeks work into one so you're earning quicker but do the same amount of work (more hours per day 7 days a week)

Our friend here who is a sparky just spent thousands to get his Aus qualifications as his UK ones weren't relevant so can now charge the kind of money people talk about. If you're just here for a year, it would probably be a false economy to do that so you wouldn't be one these $40-60/hr people quote as being sparky wages.

 

You don't need skills assessment for WHV so I'd say come on that and see how you go but be prepared that you're not going to command a high wage initially and you're highly unlikely to get on the mines.

[VERYSTORMY]

Your qualifications don't mean that much here. You would need to requalify - taking about a year and costing significant money.

 

Working in the mines once even qualified is unlikely at present given mining is in a severe downturn and laying people off at the moment.