Electricians In Australia

[Loulouhew]

Hi chris

 

It seems a lot has changed in WA 3-4 weeks ago ...but if employers are still taking on sparks with restricted license the that is good to hear . I think that's what they are having a meeting about next week. Glad it's going well for you ( from a fellow Taff ) :biggrin:

[Guest happyfamily]

I have been on the Gold coast since nov 2011 and all the things that you are talking about I also read before I arrived, I had my skills assesed by vetasses before we came. On arrival I had to sit a cpr and a lvr course which took about 3 hours, I could then apply for my restricted licence, as soon as I had that I booked on to the contractors course with tafe you only have to sit the electrical side which is about the wiring regs its a 20week course after that you send for your A1 licence, the course cost £1300 and the liecnce $64, I found work straight away I`m on with my second company and both have paid me the full rate with just my restriced licence and the 2 companies are the biggest on the coast so not some flyby night company, I have heard were people have had problems and been employed as TAs etc but they would rather take you on as a spark because a TA cant do any thing and there is only a few dollars a hour between them both. Dont listen to much about what people say I found it all ok to sort out so did my mate over in Perth. Gud luck and any thing else I can help with just ask

 

chris

 

 

Hi Welshspark, my husband and I and our 3 kids are hopefully heading to perth in the next few months. I was just wondering does your friend that is in perth have any contacts that would take on a spark on a restricted licence as my hunband has also gone down the vetassess route and it looks like he will also have to complete the log book. It would be nice to get work lined up before we arrive so that it could take some of the pressure of him as looks like our £££ wont go to far in oz. Conversion rate to $$$ is terrible.

[no1spark]

The person who says Don't listen to others is talking a load of Crap:

He may have been fortunate to obtain work in the Perth area, but i can tell you all now there are lots of people who are living in WA & are unable to obtain work in the electrical game.

he is also incorrect when he says he got his restricted license then went onto to a course for the electrical contractors license you must 1st do the exams for the Unrestricted electrician license then if you intend to work for yourself then you do another electrical contractors course, its true that if you have the restricted license you shall be on lass pay thats due to any company having to check your work continually & its also "Illegal" to work unsupervised without the correct electrical licenses. its simply not worth it for 99% of the companys if anything went wrong there insurance is Void. end of story, across Australia now there is a real recession in the work force.

 

 

 

 

 

happyfamily;1935912805]Hi Welshspark, my husband and I and our 3 kids are hopefully heading to perth in the next few months. I was just wondering does your friend that is in perth have any contacts that would take on a spark on a restricted licence as my hunband has also gone down the vetassess route and it looks like he will also have to complete the log book. It would be nice to get work lined up before we arrive so that it could take some of the pressure of him as looks like our £££ wont go to far in oz. Conversion rate to $$$ is terrible.

[biggaf]

Arthur,

Do you think the large companies need to re think , and start taking on more ta's?

[no1spark]

Well mate im sure they would if it was not for all the legal red tape **** that's the only restrictions i can for sea.

its not the company's that's the problems its the system when little people think they know better.???

 

 

 

Arthur,

Do you think the large companies need to re think , and start taking on more ta's?

[Leyteris77]

Hi to everybody,

 

I have my engineering qualifications recognised before coming to Australia but now I have applied for an ARTC to be able to work in Technician positions. I sent my application early June, does anybody have any idea when about will I be contacted?. So far they have requested an additional document which I sent it early this month (July).

 

And the most important, do you have any book to suggest available here in Australia, to refresh my knowledge. This is very important to me because I must be more familiar with some English terms. My application is first as Electrical Mechanic and secondly as Electrical Fitter.

 

Any help will be really appreciated, thanks!

Edited July 31, 2012 by Leyteris77

[Guest Number 1 pom]

Hi All

 

Im looking to move to WA next year and wanted to know if anyone who has recently gone through the process could explain to me step by step what I need to do from when I land until I get my license and is there anything I can do in the UK to speed up the process?

Any help would be great.

 

Thanks

[NPKA]

hi,

still in uk, and applied for restricted licence in WA with the vetassess OTSR, got it posted to an address in perth and it states,

 

GAP TRAINING- to be eligable for an electrical licence you are required to provide a copy of your cert 111 in electrotechnology electrician issued by vetassess.

please contact the following registered training organisation (RTO) to arrange gap training

POLYTECHNIC WEST (BALGA CAMPUS)

 

anyone else received this info?

basically does this mean from reading prev posts that iv to do 12 months as a TA before i can apply for the grade a licence, that all jobs advertised are looking??

 

was the point of doing vetassess in the uk and forking out all that money to do the practical and being told that my trade was now recognised in wa a waste of time and effort and money.. that when i land in wa iv to beg to be taken on as a TA and work like this for 12 months before i become an electrician with a full licence..

 

At the beginning and up on till a few weeks ago the OTSR was a cert that allowed you to obtain the restrict licence, then once receiving that i could then book the 2 week course at the electrical college and get my licence...

 

could someone that has landed in perth or spoke to someone in wa enlighten me on this situation before i ring the college and speak to someone that dosnt know what there talking about..

 

thought it was all to good to be true!!!!

 

skill-shortages?? im thinking this is only going to get worse as uk qualified sparks can't just go and do the 2 week licence course and start working with all the legal papers that is needed...

[NPKA]

This just gets worse. No information or warning from Vetassess at all. We called Energy Safe this morning as they have had problems processing my application payment. we paid over the phone and then asked to be transfered to the licensing department to find out exactly whats going off! They informed us that there is one place now that you can do the gap training and this is Polytechnic west. The course will run for a year. No more 2 week course, to get your license! this loop hole is well and truly shut. We then called Polytechnic west and spoke to the department who is carrying out the training. The nice lady on the phone answered as honestly as possible with "we dont have a clue whats happening, we dont know what the course involves all we know is that Vetassess has appointed us as the official college" she then went on to say "its a joke, there are companys in perth that are desperate for ellectricans, we dont know how long the course will be for but there will also be a seperate course for employers to boost confidence in taking on electricians with the restricted license. we have a meeting scheduled with vetassess next week, until then we dont have any answers for your questions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I feel like im having a nightmare and that any minute im gonna wake up and everythings gonna be ok again.

every job on seek.com.au states Electrician wanted must have A GRADE LICENSE!!

 

iv received exactly the same as yourself,

its a joke, vetassess, energy safe, cet, and now polytechnic, how many different people do you have to go through??

surely this meeting will see PR that have gone through vetassess in the uk don't need to become apprentices again and esp with all there qualification, college certs, references..

very confused!!!!

[cordanuk]

There is a way left!

1st step is to obtain an ARTC and gain a cert III in electrotechnology.

2nd apply via http://www.esv.vic.gov.au/Electricity-Professionals/Licensing-and-registration/Overseas-Qualifications this is the pathway to class A Licience.

 

Problems lie in the fact that you have to convince the TRA that you dont need to complete any Gap Training, or if you do then you should be able to comple the 170 hour course that EE-OZ specify http://www.ee-oz.com.au/content/view/82/115/.

But to obtain An ARTC the guild line are these http://www.deewr.gov.au/Skills/Programs/SkillsAssess/TRA/ARTC/Documents/ARTC_CriteriaAndGuidelines.pdf.

I know its confusing at the moment but there have been some severe shake ups.

I completed my OTSR with Vic Uni and TRA, and was informed this week that I would have to complete a practical examination on landing in Oz to obtain just the L Licience.

This is due to vic uni not following the "correct pathway model" laid out. Laid out by who?

So having spent $2500 on an OTSR that only gained me my visa I'm not even allowed to obtain my suppervised L Licience.

 

Any other thoughts are welcome. I mention Energysafe Vic due to the fact I'm heading for Victoria.

 

Justin

[Guest garyheidi7]

Hi I've just been reading above threads after not being on here for a week or so and my heart sank as we are desperate to get this A grade licence! We arrived here in Perth 3 and a half weeks ago and to assure electricians out there, there are a lot of jobs here but unfortunaltely they want the licence, my husband applied for numerous even though they were asking for the licence and had numerous phone calls for interviews and a few calls where he had to answer technical questions before proceeding further, he decided on two interviews and was offered the job on the condition he does the licence which he is booked into on Monday, but as luck had it they rung him up a week ago and asked him to start straight away as they are flat out and need someone with his experience so there are employers out there to take you on with out the licence just apply for lots of positions, and you may get lucky, and if your experience and qualifications are excellent employers definately want you, but its out of there hands as far as the licencing goes, although I'm very relieved that he is sitting the licence course as it would mean he can apply for other jobs offering more wages which you definitely need here. I rang Balcatta up this morning to see if he was still doing the course and she checked and said yes he was entitled to sit the course as his letter of approval states it, as what you are all saying your letter says about the gap training his one did nt say that, it mentioned the course in Balcatta, also I rang energy safety as someone on here said they weren't excepting anyone who has done the course, but they are, if you had your letter of approval (restricted permit) issued before July 1st 2012 then it still stands as his restricted licence as I said earlier says he can do the course not gap training. So thank goodness for that, as it has been quite hectic here since arriving sorting different things and that would have been a headache and a strain financially to do gap training for 12 months. But like I said just apply for positions and you may find an employer who is willing to take you on. They did do this last year, stopped the course and said gap training only for OTSR holders and then by December it was back on again, maybe that will happen again, although they are apparently under pressure to do the same as other states and gap training it is! But good luck to everyone. Things always work out.

[KathB35]

Hi All

 

Im looking to move to WA next year and wanted to know if anyone who has recently gone through the process could explain to me step by step what I need to do from when I land until I get my license and is there anything I can do in the UK to speed up the process?

Any help would be great.

 

Thanks

 

I'd like to know this too........ it all sounds very confusing! :confused:

 

So far my DH has done the VETASSESS skills assessment and has an OTSR. What happens next? Is there anything he can do in the UK to make getting his Grade 1 Licence easier/quicker before we head out to WA next year?

[Guest Number 1 pom]

I don't think its as bad as it sounds........ This is how I've been told it works, through speaking to different organisations and people who have gone through the process:

 

1) You gain your OTSR - which you need before you start your visa application.

2) You apply for your restricted license with energy safety - if you gained your OTSR with Vetassess you can apply for this in the UK. This then allows you to gain employment as a trade assitant under the supervision of a sparky with a license.

3) You then need to complete your Australian context training with a recognised RTO (Registered training orgination) and have an Australian address - some people have said that there might be a waiting list for this? This course along with on site experience (12 months) allows you to complete the sections on your OTSR which are marked with a x.

4) Once you have completed your Australian context training you can then apply for your Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) usually a certificate III, through the TRA approved RTO who issued the OTSR (Vetassess)............Once you have this you can apply for your license.

 

Its not as easy as just turning up in oz and saying I'm a spark give me a job!! You have to get familiar with the way things are done. Having worked with ozzy sparks in London who don't have to go through this process to work the UK it makes perfect sense, because if they did, then probably half of them would have to work as mates!!

If you are a decent spark with nothing to hide, then I wouldn't worry. But if your a chancer..........

 

 

 

 

[NPKA]

I don't think its as bad as it sounds........ This is how I've been told it works, through speaking to different organisations and people who have gone through the process:

 

1) You gain your OTSR - which you need before you start your visa application.

2) You apply for your restricted license with energy safety - if you gained your OTSR with Vetassess you can apply for this in the UK. This then allows you to gain employment as a trade assitant under the supervision of a sparky with a license.

3) You then need to complete your Australian context training with a recognised RTO (Registered training orgination) and have an Australian address - some people have said that there might be a waiting list for this? This course along with on site experience (12 months) allows you to complete the sections on your OTSR which are marked with a x.

4) Once you have completed your Australian context training you can then apply for your Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) usually a certificate III, through the TRA approved RTO who issued the OTSR (Vetassess)............Once you have this you can apply for your license.

 

Its not as easy as just turning up in oz and saying I'm a spark give me a job!! You have to get familiar with the way things are done. Having worked with ozzy sparks in London who don't have to go through this process to work the UK it makes perfect sense, because if they did, then probably half of them would have to work as mates!!

If you are a decent spark with nothing to hide, then I wouldn't worry. But if your a chancer..........

 

 

 

yes this sounds right.. but have you researched any jobs yet?

they all state WA ELECTRICAL LICENCE essential

so how can you complete a 12 month log book via an employer and college if they wont take restricted licences on??

i have my restricted licence and im still in uk, i was hoping that by completing the vetasses, get my restricted licence, and then being able to book the grade A course upon arrival id get my licence and that would be it, up untill a few weeks ago that was the case now its all changed..

[tommo007]

Hi all I'm a bit confused what does otsr mean and will it be the same if your skills have been assessed by Tra rather than vetassess?

[cordanuk]

Hi all I'm a bit confused what does otsr mean and will it be the same if your skills have been assessed by Tra rather than vetassess?

 

OTSR= Offshore Technical Skills Record

You need this to gain a visa if your going down the skilled route.

TRA= Trade Recognision Australia are the organisation that refer you to Vetassess (Independant company that assess candidates on their skills then reports back to TRA).

TRA will refer you to either Vetassess or Vic Uni for your skills assesment.

 

Justin

[tommo007]

Thanks Justin our agent hasn't mentioned it being referred on they said it would be a paper based decision. I'm a bit worried now!

[Guest garyheidi7]

yes this sounds right.. but have you researched any jobs yet?

they all state WA ELECTRICAL LICENCE essential

so how can you complete a 12 month log book via an employer and college if they wont take restricted licences on??

i have my restricted licence and im still in uk, i was hoping that by completing the vetasses, get my restricted licence, and then being able to book the grade A course upon arrival id get my licence and that would be it, up untill a few weeks ago that was the case now its all changed..

Hi, we definitely had your opinion as well when we were in the uk we are lucky in that fortunately my OH is sitting the two week course as we speak, this week and next, fingers crossed he passes ! He said there is 10 doing the course only 3 of them have work on restricted, one of them has come overfrom the UK specifically just to do the licence and isn't coming to live here for another year yet ! But like you he worried about earning a living in what he is qualified in, in my opinion if he wasnt doing this course and had to wait 12 months to do gap training, I would be slightly uneasy, but like I said in an earlier post, wait until you arrive suss everything out for yourself and just apply for as many positions as possible with a great cv, whether they ask for licence or not, and see what comes from it, my OH has a job which he got within the 2nd week of being here, money isnt as great as we'd want but it's an income, and if he wasn't on this course we would have to make it work for the 12 months, but there is a great job he has been offered for commencement once he recieves his licence, and being a family of 7 is definitely what we need to live the life here comfortably. But I agree with you in that if no one wants to take on restricted licence holders how do you do the gap training? Good luck NPKAE, I'm sure something will come up, once you arrive and start applying.

[Guest welshspark]

I just want to point out to No1 spark that Im not talking a load of crap mate because I have been there done it and got the licence, its people like you who give other people the wrong info, I came on here to try and offer advise the same as I was looking for when I was applying for my visa like I said I done my vetasses in the uk when I moved out I sat my LVR and CPR course and was issued my restricted licence I then sat the contractors course but only had to sit the elecvtrical side which took 20weeks I didnt have to do a log book just a lot of exams and then had an inspector come in and watch me do a testing exam that was it tafe sent off results and 2weeks later full unrestricted licence turned up on my door step and it was the same for my mate in Perth maybe it was diffrent for you mate maybe ur are not No1 spark after all

[KathB35]

I don't think its as bad as it sounds........ This is how I've been told it works, through speaking to different organisations and people who have gone through the process:

 

1) You gain your OTSR - which you need before you start your visa application.

2) You apply for your restricted license with energy safety - if you gained your OTSR with Vetassess you can apply for this in the UK. This then allows you to gain employment as a trade assitant under the supervision of a sparky with a license.

3) You then need to complete your Australian context training with a recognised RTO (Registered training orgination) and have an Australian address - some people have said that there might be a waiting list for this? This course along with on site experience (12 months) allows you to complete the sections on your OTSR which are marked with a x.

4) Once you have completed your Australian context training you can then apply for your Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) usually a certificate III, through the TRA approved RTO who issued the OTSR (Vetassess)............Once you have this you can apply for your license.

 

 

 

Thanks for this. That seems straightforward enough. :yes: He already has a OTSR through Vetassess, so he can apply for a restricted license with energy safe. 'Downunder Tradies' are recognised to do the Context Gap Training (MACG) and say the course is 72 hours at Downunder Tradies Group in London and then 8 hours at CET Balcatta for final assessment. We're considering if it's worth him doing that over here before we make the move down under.

[NPKA]

Thanks for this. That seems straightforward enough. :yes: He already has a OTSR through Vetassess, so he can apply for a restricted license with energy safe. 'Downunder Tradies' are recognised to do the Context Gap Training (MACG) and say the course is 72 hours at Downunder Tradies Group in London and then 8 hours at CET Balcatta for final assessment. We're considering if it's worth him doing that over here before we make the move down under.

 

i have read some negative posts about them so double double check everything even by ringing perth balcatta college to make sure.

[Guest garyheidi7]

Yeah me too, a friend of mine hasn't got good things to say about them either, i would definitely check out what they say with energy safety and Balcatta college too, before going ahead with anything, it only takes a minute to ring them to check there route is correct, as they are not cheap at tradies down under. Good luck.

[CROWDED HOUSE]

Yeah me too, a friend of mine hasn't got good things to say about them either, i would definitely check out what they say with energy safety and Balcatta college too, before going ahead with anything, it only takes a minute to ring them to check there route is correct, as they are not cheap at tradies down under. Good luck.

 

After endless phone calls of despair at the changes one of the questions i did ask at the licensing office at energy safe was about the down under tradies group and the course they run. The chap did acknowledge the company but stressed that there gap training was no longer a route that could be taken. Polytechnic west is now the only course that will be recognised through energy safe so beware!! Energy safe issue the license after seeing succesful training through there dedicated RTO :skeptical:

[NPKA]

After endless phone calls of despair at the changes one of the questions i did ask at the licensing office at energy safe was about the down under tradies group and the course they run. The chap did acknowledge the company but stressed that there gap training was no longer a route that could be taken. Polytechnic west is now the only course that will be recognised through energy safe so beware!! Energy safe issue the license after seeing succesful training through there dedicated RTO :skeptical:

 

crowded house

what exactly did polytechnic say was the procedure to obtaining this dam licence.

head slightly confused by all these changes again!!!!

[CROWDED HOUSE]

crowded house

what exactly did polytechnic say was the procedure to obtaining this dam licence.

head slightly confused by all these changes again!!!!

 

When we called them they did not have a clue what the program was going to be and the nice lady was equally frustrated at the program and also confirmed to us that employers need fully licensed electricians. Since then we have phoned back and She thinks its a 2 week course then you go and do your log book on site (for which you must be employed to have it checked by a licensed electrician). Once your log book is complete (anywhere up to a year) you then return to sit a final exam. once passed you can then apply to energy safe for the full unrestricted A grade license.

 

Basically if your looking to apply for jobs make sure you get booked on this course before getting a start. I may have a job on the mines in september but its a "fifo" 3 weeks on and 1 week off and i dont know how thats gonna work with this gap training. I need to look at doing the course before the job starts. From what i gather theres a course running october (ring and confirm polytechnic west first) then every where shuts down until febuary next year. So im sure that its gonna get booked up quick as its the only place you can now do your gap training.

 

Regards