Vetassess Assessment pipefitter to Metal Fabricator

[bwatt99]

Ok guys need your help i see there have been a few post about guys doing there assessment with vetassess,some of you pipefitters and some other trades.

 

Im a pipefitter from uk,who trained for almost 4 years with a well known company back in uk and the training board,with both on and off job training.This was about 20yrs ago.

I came to australia last year,lets not get into why been here a few times and wanted to give it a try.

I have had some jobs but not many and some have said you need to get your skills recognised,others including some employers i was with said its load of crap not really needed,so to be honest not really bothered with it.

 

One reason being pipefitter is a trade in eu,uk,usa and most other places but not here,and as i already have papers and did my time why need to pay and get them recongnised here,and pay for it also.

I also did the traveling thing back in 2004 and found it very easy to get work without any quals ie oz ones,But then i was not living here but traveling.so probably get away with it,but to be honest i thought as pipefitter was not a trade here and as i was one then not be required.But i do find that more and more employers are asking for them now or advertising with wanting this.

I even have been knocked back several times from one company asking if i have it and they say i can get a job unless i have it.

 

So i have decided i maybe better if i have it,if i remain in australia thats another thing, as its not been as planned so far due to lack of work,this maybe down to just not getting the jobs as i have not got the quals or just unlucky.It sure is nothing to do with experience.

If this australian quals opens more doors and finds me the work more then i will see if i wish to remain here but as of now,i have been talking about going back as never been out of work much back in uk.

 

My questions are,what do vetassess need from you i have all the stuff in front of me and it goes on about a load of things and a little confused about it all,my pipefitting goes back 21yrs,so how far they want me to go back?

When i decided to move here i did not get in as a pipefitter,i got in as a welder yes and im not even a welder,i did night classes in welding long ago and also one some old training scheme way back,i did put down as a metal fabricator but tra messed up and had me as a welder.

The guy who did my tra an agent for it said look dont worry about it, you have the points you needed and now you can apply for the visa,lets say its was all done by agents and an ex tra agent for the tra part.

 

As i said im far from a welder and im here now,could have been here years ago but came before my visa expired,im a qualified pipefitter and again i see my trade best matched as a metal fabricator and have talked online with others who where also pipefitters and passed as a metal fabricator.

As i have been in the game so long i have done many different duties and tasks some not even related to pipefitter or normally would have been done by other trades in the uk.

I have worked on some jobs here as a mechanical fitter as the so a lot of pipeys work,well they do what we do in uk.I also done a lot of plating work,again this maybe classed as a boilermaker here,and as said various other things.

As im a pipefitter thats what my quals are in and what i have mostly worked as.

 

I have when i applied for my visa all them letterhead letters from employers which im sure will be usefull but how many or how far back do they want me to go?I also have some pipefitting certs showing what modules was completed,i then have my craft cert,nvq level 3,ace card etc.I have my tra as a first class welder,lol and papers on welding that was used to apply for tra,but if it came down to picking up a welding machine and welding i probably struggle as been years ago since i did it.I have letter headed papers from other employers showng or saying i worked for them.

 

I take i would not add any jobs i have had in oz as not really been any pipefitting jobs,so really no point as be nothing to do with mechanical fitter.I have one or two references from a few years back,but have phone numbers from a couple of supervisor from uk just before i left to come here.

Some letters from oil companies on a good job well done and awarded a gift.

Photos well its not really something i have had done or needed to do,as in have someone take some while doing a job to see me complete it,but i have pics from newspapers,and a company photo from the training days,would this help my assessment?

 

I really have no tickets/licenses here apart from white card and my refresher for foet for offshore,i did used to have all them other things when in ok working at height,confined spaces etc etc,but they maybe expired now and my ex employer in uk might have some valid stuff on file still.I also have msic.

 

It goes on about reference template i take giving them my own reference from employers is all thats needed there and what is the third party reports?

Whats the self assessment qualifiations it mentions and self assessment questionare?

 

It also goes on about taxation records or payslips well before moving to oz i had lots going back many years but binned them,i may have like one p60 from before i left to come here,and who knows i maybe have but unsure yet some old pay slip in an email somewhere but if not is this really needed?

Bank statements is not really going to make much difference as i moved over here a year ago and so will they need me to get statements from when i was paid and if so when and how far back as i have been in this industry for 21 yrs,and some companies i know are no longer around.

 

I maybe looking into this in too much detail but i sure have the trade papers,and the letter head papers to cover many jobs over the years,but how deep do i need to dig or provide to them,it be great if someone who has been through this was to help me out a little.

God its like applying for a visa again but then i never did my own visa when coming over here i used an agent,and sure would not be for this as cant afford it.

 

Just need a little help on what you guys provided,i not looked into this in great detail but can this be done online or paper based and what did it cost im being told $1850 and did you get your quals without a tech interview or practical or was one a requirment?

Also im based in perth so if i had to go to say a venue and show what i can do where would this be? as by the looks of it they have moved from the places that was pretty close to me.

 

It does annoy me i even have to go this route,and pay this money etc but then there be a load of you guys who have thought the same but had to.

 

I may provide them with not enough stuff or too much and i really am not sure how much they want from me.

I believe some of you guys may have done this to get into australia for migration and some who are already here well im one thats already here so not sure if that makes any difference in what they require.

 

Sorry for the long post,but just needed to get my message out there.lol

[bwatt99]

bump

[Que Sera Sera]

Why don't you get an agent to help especially if you've not been doing the job you want your skills assessed on recently.

[bwatt99]

Because the agents want money for there services and i have paid out way too much over the years on tra's,visa etc etc and i dont know why i would need a agent for this many others on here have not used one for the above.

[Que Sera Sera]

Fair enough.

[bwatt99]

Im wondering if most people how are in my line of used vetassess to gain oz trade cert or also to migrate to Australia or gain pr.I been told as I already have pr and only need a trade cert use rpl?

As its much easier and less hassle, im sure vetassess offer both worlds for gaining pr and to get trade cert as well as trade cert only.

I just wonder why they can take 6 weeks, when some places I know can give you the cert in a day.

Whats the difference with vetassess vs rpl they give you the same cert right?

Im about to send my stuff off to vetassess but now that I was told about rpl and can get cert in a day why bother with vetassess?

Anyone give me advise on the above as there have im sure been many on here for migration and for trade cert used vetassess or rpl and why.