How is Perth

[thl4kel]

I moved back to the UK after living in Perth for for five years one year ago but having been in the UK for twelve months God what a mistake to comeback here, low pay, zero hour contracts, not much work about unless you live in London and the weather....

 

I currently have my house for sale in the UK with the plan of moving back to Perth as soon as it sells.

 

I have noticed Perth seems to have changed a fair bit in 12 months, the amount of rentals seems a lot. When I went over five years ago it was a nightmare renting a house, ten families would turn up to view a property..

 

Is it still a nightmare driving down the Mitchel Freeway in the morning?

 

Could anyone tell me what the job market is like?

[newjez]

I moved back to the UK after living in Perth for for five years one year ago but having been in the UK for twelve months God what a mistake to comeback here, low pay, zero hour contracts, not much work about unless you live in London and the weather....

 

I currently have my house for sale in the UK with the plan of moving back to Perth as soon as it sells.

 

I have noticed Perth seems to have changed a fair bit in 12 months, the amount of rentals seems a lot. When I went over five years ago it was a nightmare renting a house, ten families would turn up to view a property..

 

Is it still a nightmare driving down the Mitchel Freeway in the morning?

 

Could anyone tell me what the job market is like?

 

 

It has rained a bit lately. What profession are you in? I was there in Nov, and whilst things have slowed down, it's not in recession. But it is career specific.

[thl4kel]

Hi New Jez, thats good to hear, I worked in the Oil and Gas field,worked on Barrow Island on the Gorgon Project. It was a FIFO role Health and Safety and Training. When I was leaving Perth last year it was getting quieter for that kind of work. So not sure if those kind of opportunities are still there.

[dxboz]

Lots of rentals available now as lots of people have left Perth due to no work. Oil and Gas has slowed down heaps and lots of people have been made redundant. Very difficult time to try to get a job here at the moment.

[Guest]

I would think it would be a mistake to move back at the moment - oil & gas is in decline everywhere and the reason there are so many rentals in Perth now is because there isn't the work anymore especially in resources.

 

If you really want to move back I would rent your house out rather than sell it and come over with enough money to live for 6 months without work and see how it works out.

 

Whereabouts are you living? Would a move in the UK be better? Unemployment is lower in most of the UK than in Perth - I moved back 2 years ago and was able to get a job straight away. the nature of my work is short-term contracts and after my first one finished I got another within a month of looking and they keep renewing.

[dxboz]

State Government has put a recruitment freeze on and cutting lots of jobs. Over 1100 jobs to go in Southern Health - this is having a flow on effect in other areas jobwise also. Really not a good time to be coming here to be honest. As LR said I think you should be looking to rent your house in UK and not sell if you are determined to come.

[thl4kel]

I live at the moment in North East England and the job market here is pretty grim. Yeah might be a good idea to do what you say, not sell up but leave my house here when I come over, I dont want to rent it as I renovated it to a high standard when I moved back here and I don't want people trashing it. I know the resource game is pretty grim at the moment in WA, especially the construction of sites, but there is still operations.

 

What I was thinking was, to try and get a job with ESS/Compass as a Camp Attendant, basically do anything cleaning, bar, pool, peggy ect just to get back on site and see what comes up. I noticed they are running adverts on Seek. Was also thinking of just getting a job in Perth, training people in something i.e Management or something..

 

Ideally I plan to get back on the housing market in Perth but I don't want to rush because there looks like a good chance they may go down further. When I sold my house twelve months ago I got out at just the right time, Ive seen houses drop further since I left. They put the hold on government jobs about 16 months ago and then it started up again. Its tough everywhere I think these days.

 

But Perth is better place to bring up a family in my opinion.

 

Perth was tough six years ago, it was a bitch of place to get work then. I started of in asbestos demolition and had a range of crappy jobs. UK experience was not that sought after, having said that I don't see UK employers rushing to take me on with Aussie construction experience.

 

I am an Aussie Citizen and I don't plan to comeback and fail by not getting work but there is support mechanisms there for Citizens i.e CentreLink. Not the plan but nice to have something rather than nothing like when I originally went out there on a PR.

[VERYSTORMY]

Hi New Jez, thats good to hear, I worked in the Oil and Gas field,worked on Barrow Island on the Gorgon Project. It was a FIFO role Health and Safety and Training. When I was leaving Perth last year it was getting quieter for that kind of work. So not sure if those kind of opportunities are still there.

 

There are thousands being let go from the oil and gas projects at the moment. Barrow let 1000 go last week.

 

HSE people are two a penny at the moment. I recruited one recently and was able to get 200 CV's in a matter of days and the guy we took with 20 years experience accepted a zero hours contract on $450 a day Fifo.

[thl4kel]

Perth is in a transition period the boom is over I personally think when I went to Perth six years it, that I caught the tail of the boom. Too many people headed to Perth for FIFO. Rentals, house prices went too high, competition for jobs was tough.

 

Perth has a two speed economy, there was the construction workers on FIFO, the miners and then the people working in Perth, (not all i.e St Georges Terrace where people were and probably still are on 350k pay, Contract, Commercial Managers/Lawyers), but a lot of people in Perth are on 45k - 75k. I was told Perth was a lot nicer place prior to the boom so maybe it will go back to being like that.

 

LOL when I was on Gorgon the pool cleaner was on 300k, had to work night shift and was on a 26/9 roster.. Thats not really the way things should be. 15 months ago with the exchange rate that was amazing cash, still is with the bad rate now.

[thl4kel]

Maybe they will build the new trains at Gorgon and that will fire it up again. Yeah I have Level 4 and Diploma OHS but 15 months ago it was near impossible getting a role. There must be some jobs in Perth I no that my old rate will not be achievable but 60k - 85k jobs I could consider.

[calNgary]

Do you still have any contacts in WA that you could approach for a job, even if its not your ideal job ,it may get you on your feet and up and running. From reading this forum ,WA does seem to be struggling compared to other states so if you hit a dead end could you try another area?

 

Cal x

[Bibbs]

I've a couple of friends out on Barrow. They haven't gone yet, but they are waiting for the phone call.

 

O&G is dead, give it 18 months and look again.

 

The freeway is still solid of a morning and afternoon. Rents are cheaper.

[flag of convenience]

I live at the moment in North East England and the job market here is pretty grim. Yeah might be a good idea to do what you say, not sell up but leave my house here when I come over, I dont want to rent it as I renovated it to a high standard when I moved back here and I don't want people trashing it. I know the resource game is pretty grim at the moment in WA, especially the construction of sites, but there is still operations.

 

What I was thinking was, to try and get a job with ESS/Compass as a Camp Attendant, basically do anything cleaning, bar, pool, peggy ect just to get back on site and see what comes up. I noticed they are running adverts on Seek. Was also thinking of just getting a job in Perth, training people in something i.e Management or something..

 

Ideally I plan to get back on the housing market in Perth but I don't want to rush because there looks like a good chance they may go down further. When I sold my house twelve months ago I got out at just the right time, Ive seen houses drop further since I left. They put the hold on government jobs about 16 months ago and then it started up again. Its tough everywhere I think these days.

 

But Perth is better place to bring up a family in my opinion.

 

Perth was tough six years ago, it was a bitch of place to get work then. I started of in asbestos demolition and had a range of crappy jobs. UK experience was not that sought after, having said that I don't see UK employers rushing to take me on with Aussie construction experience.

 

I am an Aussie Citizen and I don't plan to comeback and fail by not getting work but there is support mechanisms there for Citizens i.e CentreLink. Not the plan but nice to have something rather than nothing like when I originally went out there on a PR.

 

I don't se you getting Centre Link payments (New Start)with income from a rented house in UK. I'd say the area you hope to find a position in would be very highly competitive and luck and especially important is your net working ability. Without inside help it will likely be very tough.

 

Have you thought about Brisbane perhaps? I'm informed on this forum that city is going like the clappers. Hence could suss out there?

[flag of convenience]

Perth is in a transition period the boom is over I personally think when I went to Perth six years it, that I caught the tail of the boom. Too many people headed to Perth for FIFO. Rentals, house prices went too high, competition for jobs was tough.

 

Perth has a two speed economy, there was the construction workers on FIFO, the miners and then the people working in Perth, (not all i.e St Georges Terrace where people were and probably still are on 350k pay, Contract, Commercial Managers/Lawyers), but a lot of people in Perth are on 45k - 75k. I was told Perth was a lot nicer place prior to the boom so maybe it will go back to being like that.

 

LOL when I was on Gorgon the pool cleaner was on 300k, had to work night shift and was on a 26/9 roster.. Thats not really the way things should be. 15 months ago with the exchange rate that was amazing cash, still is with the bad rate now.

 

It was a lot nicer and definitely far more affordable place pre boom. While rents are in decline, house prices in certain areas as well, I do not detect to much reversal in other things. Perth hence remains a very expensive city.

[tonyman]

There are some good deals to be had right now regarding rentals , its nothing like it was 8 yrs ago when every Tom ,Dick and Fanny would turn up to view ...........Perth is still and will be for some time one of the best places in the world to live ......

[thl4kel]

Well its all sounding a bit grim..... Yes I have friends in WA and family but they don't work in HR/Recruitment. I would never rent my house to anyone whether in the UK or OZ.

[ROCKYROCKS]

Well its all sounding a bit grim..... Yes I have friends in WA and family but they don't work in HR/Recruitment. I would never rent my house to anyone whether in the UK or OZ.

 

I'm in the same boat, planning to return Perth after 2 years back in the NE of Scotland, we still have our house in Baldivis to return to.

 

I work in O&G as a contractor and the N Sea is on it's knees at present, I'm in asset integrity and suspect that we will be cut back to the bare bones but kept in some shape or form.

 

I can only echo what others in the thread have suggested, you should use old work contacts to try and open doors as applying for HSE stuff as an unknown quantity will leave you in a sea of similar hopefuls. My approach for landing a gig in WA for my return is to contact various ex colleagues and let them know I'm looking for a role in WA or elsewhere in Oz. My ex workmates on Karratha Gas Plant have taken a 10% pay cut and lost travel time etc. however they are still doing pretty well in comparison to the average Aussie.

 

I am reasonably optimistic that I'll land a job in my field but far from convinced it will be as well paid as the job I left in early 2014 however you have to take the rough with the smooth.

 

LNG operations will require maintenance and operation from the minute they are switched on with the demand for labour in those sectors increasing as the plants age. Therefore its far from doom and gloom in the medium to long term, the problem at the moment is heaps of construction guys will be trying to phase themselves into said maint roles when construction ends competition will be fierce.

 

Good luck

[thl4kel]

Yeah I noticed 600 BP staff got made redundant the other day in the North Sea, if you were at Karatha gas plant were you working for Monadelphous, I think they carry out maintenance work on there? If I go back I think I will try and get into something else anyway.. Having seen a lot of the comments on this thread its kinda made me think a lot. OZ a great place when your making ok cash, but not so great without a big income. Maintenance roles didn't pay that great prior to this down turn. WA Oil Barrow Island were paying around 100k for 2/2 roster. Great if you love fishing surfing on Barrow but if you have a big mortgage.. Karatha Gas Plant I thought they wanted you to live there.

[ROCKYROCKS]

Yeah I noticed 600 BP staff got made redundant the other day in the North Sea, if you were at Karatha gas plant were you working for Monadelphous, I think they carry out maintenance work on there? If I go back I think I will try and get into something else anyway.. Having seen a lot of the comments on this thread its kinda made me think a lot. OZ a great place when your making ok cash, but not so great without a big income. Maintenance roles didn't pay that great prior to this down turn. WA Oil Barrow Island were paying around 100k for 2/2 roster. Great if you love fishing surfing on Barrow but if you have a big mortgage.. Karatha Gas Plant I thought they wanted you to live there.

 

 

Yeah a decent income is vitally important in WA no doubt however there is a lot of talk about silly amounts being required to live an average life in OZ on these and other forums like it. I'm not sure I see Australia as massively more expensive overall, especially compared with places like the SE of England and Aberdeen.

 

The Karratha gas plant is mostly FIFO on a 2/2 rota with some projects work being done on a 21/10 rota, although some people do the residential thing. The cash was pretty good for inspection people and from what I remember the Mono guys were on approx. 140K for the 2/2 as tradesmen & around 170K for supervisors. Of course there were other contractors like Fluor & TW paying Engineers 200k+ for equal time rotas, decent cash in my book.

 

I have a few irons in the fire now with my old employer and a few others, but competition is more fierce than before.

 

Cheers

[newjez]

If the price of oil drops much more they will be giving it away.

 

Does this sort of thing happen often in your industry?

[thl4kel]

The info in this thread has really thrown a new perspective onto my thoughts about moving back. I was just have a look at share prices on companies like Monadelphous, their shares have dropped from $30 to $6 and there not the only ones, not really a great sign.. On a plus note I had a look on Seek and it looks like theres more work in Brisbane than WA.

 

Does it happen a lot just in the oil/gas/iron ore industries? Not that often but a lot of it is to do with Saudi and China for various reasons and it will have a knock effect..

 

I remember six years ago I had just arrived in Perth and a guy i met on a FLT training course said to me (he was a Brit) to have a happy live in Perth you need $120k household income. The best I managed to achieve was $200k, working FIFO on Gorgon. Gorgon always paid a bit more because its a Class A nature reserve. I never managed to get the 120k in Perth came close but it was a one year contract.

[ROCKYROCKS]

If the price of oil drops much more they will be giving it away.

 

Does this sort of thing happen often in your industry?

 

I think the answer to that is yes it has happened in the past but the slide this time has been quite spectacular and looks set to continue,

 

 

Worrying times in resource cities as the recovery could be 3-5 years away

[ROCKYROCKS]

The info in this thread has really thrown a new perspective onto my thoughts about moving back. I was just have a look at share prices on companies like Monadelphous, their shares have dropped from $30 to $6 and there not the only ones, not really a great sign.. On a plus note I had a look on Seek and it looks like theres more work in Brisbane than WA.

 

Does it happen a lot just in the oil/gas/iron ore industries? Not that often but a lot of it is to do with Saudi and China for various reasons and it will have a knock effect..

 

I remember six years ago I had just arrived in Perth and a guy i met on a FLT training course said to me (he was a Brit) to have a happy live in Perth you need $120k household income. The best I managed to achieve was $200k, working FIFO on Gorgon. Gorgon always paid a bit more because its a Class A nature reserve. I never managed to get the 120k in Perth came close but it was a one year contract.

 

Yeah seek is busier than expected it to be, I think various service companies will be doing it tough regarding their share value.

 

The 120k figure seems about right to achieve a reasonable level of comfort for a family.

 

What rota were you doing on Gorgon?

[thl4kel]

14/7

One thing i noticed on seek is you have multiple agencies advertising the same job. I think a lot of the recruitment agencies are struggling as well, a lot of the adverts placed are to improve their in-house databases for upcoming possible roles. The safest bet is to find the jobs advertised by the direct employer. A trick I use is - sloppy recruiters sometimes place adverts on seek where they copy and paste company slogans or company info i.e ASX listed, employer specialises in, employs x amount, if you stick that info into google it sometimes brings up the employer and you can make a direct application. HR departments are looking at cutting recruiter costs and direct entries stand more of a chance.

[Shaunohan]

Hi thl4kel, we are thinking about a move to Perth and I also work in Health and Safety with a Masters degree in OHS. Although the mining industry has been in decline, surely roles for OHS in the city must be available? I have regular updates from reed seeking OHS advisors, managers etc. Thoughts?