Electricians In Australia

[Guest Gary D]

this is all new to me all these rules and regs how long in general would it take from landing in Australia until you would be able to be employed as a sparky and how much do these tests and exams cost?

[Ricky1975]

Hi.

Can anyone help me.

I am moving to victoria as soon as my house sells in the uk (hopefully in the next 3 months) and was wondering if anybody knows where I will find the most work as an electrician (mainly hospitals, schools, office blocks and domestic work) so I can decide on an area to move to.

 

Thanks

Ricky.

[Guest raymie]

The best place to work as an electrician in australia is south australia. Its the easiest state to obtain an electrical licence. Once tou obtain your artc as either electrical fitter or electrical mechanic you do a short course at peer which covers the wiring rules as/nz 3000 , you then get a licence straight away without doing log books. All other states are full of ****. So settle in adelaide. Theres lots of schools, hospitals , office blocks and of course housing. Good luck!!

[Guest tommo66]

The best place to work as an electrician in australia is south australia. Its the easiest state to obtain an electrical licence. Once tou obtain your artc as either electrical fitter or electrical mechanic you do a short course at peer which covers the wiring rules as/nz 3000 , you then get a licence straight away without doing log books. All other states are full of ****. So settle in adelaide. Theres lots of schools, hospitals , office blocks and of course housing. Good luck!!

 

 

WA as a lot of work on and government have just given the go ahead for 61 new major projects, so only going to get busier.

I arrived in Perth on 24/11/11 having 176 and OSTR as assessed by Vetassess. On the 05/12/12 I started two week 'Electrical Trade Licence' course which I passed and on the 22/12/12 I picked up my Electricians Licence from Energy Safety (thats it all done).

Hope this helps

 

Andy

[Ricky1975]

Hi

Thanks for helping, but, im moving to victoria. Thanks anyway.

As an average, how much would a bank lend me for a mortage, earning 60,000 a year.

In the uk it works out about 4x your annual wage.

 

Thanks

Ricky

[Gaza]

WA as a lot of work on and government have just given the go ahead for 61 new major projects, so only going to get busier.

I arrived in Perth on 24/11/11 having 176 and OSTR as assessed by Vetassess. On the 05/12/12 I started two week 'Electrical Trade Licence' course which I passed and on the 22/12/12 I picked up my Electricians Licence from Energy Safety (thats it all done).

Hope this helps

 

Andy

Hello tommo,

just what I wanted to hear!

i presume you booked your course before arrival In Oz?

did you use a friends address?

did you get the course for the subsidised rate?

whats your prospects of work now and any idea what rate to expect can you expect it to be relatively local to where you live ie within an hours travel?

 

Thanks for the info

all the best

gary

[Guest tommo66]

Hello tommo,

just what I wanted to hear!

i presume you booked your course before arrival In Oz?

did you use a friends address?

did you get the course for the subsidised rate?

whats your prospects of work now and any idea what rate to expect can you expect it to be relatively local to where you live ie within an hours travel?

 

Thanks for the info

all the best

gary

 

 

Hi Gary

 

I was lucky with the course, was told by Energy Safety that they had changed rules and I would have to do log book etc but when I arrived and phoned them they said they had scrapped the idea and I could sit two week course. So it was a all bit of a rush as I only found all this out on the Friday and course started Monday. Spoke with Leslie Dryden at Balcatta Tafe (told her I had wife, six kids two dogs etc etc to feed and no money) she was great, squeezed me in for the Monday start.

As far as work goes and locality, all depends what you want to do and where you are going to be?

In general they all talk over here like its slow, believe me they haven't got a clue what slow is. I would compare it to the U.K. back in 2002/3 when all were booming. Mind you I am talking about W.A. I don't know about other states etc.

Big article in 'The West' the other day saying gov just given go ahead to 61 new major projects and they have estimated they will need 400 construction/engineering workers per week every week for the next two years, 41000 in total.

 

Hope this helps

Andy

[Alanlisa]

Hi everyone.

 

I've posted on here a few times but I can't seem to find the aswer for my question.

 

My husband has been a spark since leaving school at 16, he is coming up to 33, so a good few years experience. The thing is in August last year he went from working on the tools to being a Project Engineer in the office. I am worried what the time limit we have to apply for the VETASSESS. For some reason I have got in my head that you have to show at least 12 months experience in the last two years. Does anyone know if this is correct. Also if that is the case, is that just for your VETASSESS or do you also have to show the same again for your visa???

 

Please help because I feel we are slowly running out of time and we are nowhere near even supplying all the paper info for the VETASSESS yet both financially and practically!

[RJM]

No doubt this has all been covered 10 times but i cant possibly read all 134 pages. I am currently waiting for my visa 175 to be approved and hope to be in Perth by June/July. My concerns are.......

Is it hard to register for your "B" License

How long do you wait and what is entailed in going from B to A license

Do you get stroked money wise when on a B license ( how much would i expect to get paid)

Will i be able to arrive and start work next day??

I have all the skills test certs at a cost of £1600

[Guest garyheidi7]

Hi Gary

 

I was lucky with the course, was told by Energy Safety that they had changed rules and I would have to do log book etc but when I arrived and phoned them they said they had scrapped the idea and I could sit two week course. So it was a all bit of a rush as I only found all this out on the Friday and course started Monday. Spoke with Leslie Dryden at Balcatta Tafe (told her I had wife, six kids two dogs etc etc to feed and no money) she was great, squeezed me in for the Monday start.

As far as work goes and locality, all depends what you want to do and where you are going to be?

In general they all talk over here like its slow, believe me they haven't got a clue what slow is. I would compare it to the U.K. back in 2002/3 when all were booming. Mind you I am talking about W.A. I don't know about other states etc.

Big article in 'The West' the other day saying gov just given go ahead to 61 new major projects and they have estimated they will need 400 construction/engineering workers per week every week for the next two years, 41000 in total.

 

Hope this helps

Andy

 

Hi Andy

 

Well done for doing the two week course.

just a quick question as I'm coming to Perth in June/july. How much did you pay for the college course as a australian resident??

And how much work is there involved within the college course??

 

Much appreciated

 

Gary

[Gaza]

Hi,

Yeah I'm off to Perth probably mid June.

Have got the info from Leslie re college course just need to

Book and pay for it.

Have you landed a job yet?

Did it take you long?

Thanks

Gary

Hi Gary

 

I was lucky with the course, was told by Energy Safety that they had changed rules and I would have to do log book etc but when I arrived and phoned them they said they had scrapped the idea and I could sit two week course. So it was a all bit of a rush as I only found all this out on the Friday and course started Monday. Spoke with Leslie Dryden at Balcatta Tafe (told her I had wife, six kids two dogs etc etc to feed and no money) she was great, squeezed me in for the Monday start.

As far as work goes and locality, all depends what you want to do and where you are going to be?

In general they all talk over here like its slow, believe me they haven't got a clue what slow is. I would compare it to the U.K. back in 2002/3 when all were booming. Mind you I am talking about W.A. I don't know about other states etc.

Big article in 'The West' the other day saying gov just given go ahead to 61 new major projects and they have estimated they will need 400 construction/engineering workers per week every week for the next two years, 41000 in total.

 

Hope this helps

Andy

[Guest tommo66]

Hi Andy

 

Well done for doing the two week course.

just a quick question as I'm coming to Perth in June/july. How much did you pay for the college course as a australian resident??

And how much work is there involved within the college course??

 

Much appreciated

 

Gary

 

 

Hi Gary

 

The course at Balcatta was discouted, I paid about $200 ish mind you the books you require cost as well. Without searching for the receipt I think with books and course it was around $670 so still not cheap. Not every one got a discount on the course, I think the Tafe gets grants and its just pot luck on your timing.

The course itself is pretty straight forward, it gets a involved in motors and starters and a small project on max demand etc.Practical side was a little like the Vetassess test. Most seemed to cope quite well in my class with a couple of guys that struggled a bit, but everyone passed. Its not a pass fail type of teaching, the tutors go over and over with you if required. I got the impression the Tafe only likes positive results from their campus (your basically mothered through if required)

 

Hope this helps and thanks for the well done.

 

Andy

[Guest tommo66]

Hi,

Yeah I'm off to Perth probably mid June.

Have got the info from Leslie re college course just need to

Book and pay for it.

Have you landed a job yet?

Did it take you long?

Thanks

Gary

 

 

Hi Gary

 

Yes I start work next week.

I didn't start looking until last week and have been for a few interviews and offered the jobs there and then but not been right for me so knocked them back.

I've just booked in to do the 'Contractors' course so ultimately will be going on my own but we'll see.

To me here seems to have plenty of work about but 'the locals' seem to think its quiet, house prices are dropping slightly and there's a lot of adverts in the papers and t.v. with companies offering discounts etc so I assume they are all having to fight for business. On the other hand there were about 16 adverts in paper last night for sparks, so who knows!!

 

Anything you guys need to know an I'll try to help

 

Cheers Andy

[Guest garyheidi7]

Hi Gary

 

The course at Balcatta was discouted, I paid about $200 ish mind you the books you require cost as well. Without searching for the receipt I think with books and course it was around $670 so still not cheap. Not every one got a discount on the course, I think the Tafe gets grants and its just pot luck on your timing.

The course itself is pretty straight forward, it gets a involved in motors and starters and a small project on max demand etc.Practical side was a little like the Vetassess test. Most seemed to cope quite well in my class with a couple of guys that struggled a bit, but everyone passed. Its not a pass fail type of teaching, the tutors go over and over with you if required. I got the impression the Tafe only likes positive results from their campus (your basically mothered through if required)

 

Hope this helps and thanks for the well done.

 

Andy

 

 

Hi Andy, cheers for the info its a great help to have advice and info from someone who is actually there and doing it. hopefully have our visa fingers crossed in a couple of weeks, although dont intend to come until June, my wife has mentioned maybe coming out to get the licence sorted incase it all changes again. Hope your enjoying it there, and everything is working out, on another subject though if you dont mind me asking... any areas you are liking particularly,? we are struggling to decide on which area to live.

 

All the best and thanks again for the info on the licensing.

 

Gary.

[Guest tommo66]

Hi Andy, cheers for the info its a great help to have advice and info from someone who is actually there and doing it. hopefully have our visa fingers crossed in a couple of weeks, although dont intend to come until June, my wife has mentioned maybe coming out to get the licence sorted incase it all changes again. Hope your enjoying it there, and everything is working out, on another subject though if you dont mind me asking... any areas you are liking particularly,? we are struggling to decide on which area to live.

 

All the best and thanks again for the info on the licensing.

 

Gary.

 

 

Hi Gary

 

As far as coming over and getting your licence sorted. I would like to think you would be o.k. by June, but you just never know. Things here (as far as I see) just change without notice/warning etc, in u.k. they just wouldn't get away with it. My tutor at Balatta was having a conversation with another member of staff saying that he had heard that WA gov and Energy Safety were not happy with the time scales it would take to get oversea qualified electricians into the workplace so had over ruled the Vetassess log book system. He also said that they were in discussions with Vetassess about sorting an alternative system.

 

Where to live? now that's a question and half.

I've seen many ugly threads on PIO on this subject!!

 

I suppose it all depends on you and your priorities. The general rule, as is the world over 'you get what you pay for'.

What area are you looking at?

 

Cheers Andy

[Alanlisa]

Hi Andy,

Did they say how the vetassess system may be made easier. I'm just sorting out all the paper info but

if there's a chance it may me made easier in the future then I may hold on.

Cheers Alan

[Guest tommo66]

Hi Andy,

Did they say how the vetassess system may be made easier. I'm just sorting out all the paper info but

if there's a chance it may me made easier in the future then I may hold on.

Cheers Alan

 

Hi Alan

The conversation I heard wasn't about the Vetassess application proccess and I appoligise if thats how it sounded. It was about how oversea electricians (already been assessed) once in au are going to be allowed to gain their licence. Vet would have you doing the 12 month log book if they could but Energy Safety and WA gov say too long. So discussions are on for a happy medium.

So if correct I don't think it would get easier than it is right now, which presently once here all you need to do is the 'Electrical Trade Licence' course (2 weeks).

 

Lets put it into perspective as well, this was a conversation I heard between two college tutors about rumours they had heard!!!

Please don't base any decision on that.

 

Cheers Andy

[Alanlisa]

Hi Andy,

Thanks for the response. It is going to take a while to pull everything together for the paper assessment, seem to have done most of it but just need a ton of information from when I was self employed!!

 

I heard years ago alll you had to do was show your JIB card, why can't it be that easy now!!!

[Guest garyheidi7]

Hi Gary

 

As far as coming over and getting your licence sorted. I would like to think you would be o.k. by June, but you just never know. Things here (as far as I see) just change without notice/warning etc, in u.k. they just wouldn't get away with it. My tutor at Balatta was having a conversation with another member of staff saying that he had heard that WA gov and Energy Safety were not happy with the time scales it would take to get oversea qualified electricians into the workplace so had over ruled the Vetassess log book system. He also said that they were in discussions with Vetassess about sorting an alternative system.

 

Where to live? now that's a question and half.

I've seen many ugly threads on PIO on this subject!!

 

I suppose it all depends on you and your priorities. The general rule, as is the world over 'you get what you pay for'.

What area are you looking at?

 

Cheers Andy

 

Hi Andy,

 

sorry for delay in replying, been flat out at work. Ha Ha yes, i've seen a few threads on here like that on where to live too. Well we have a varied age range of children to try and make sure have decent schools and there seems to be a lot of schools everywhere, we are looking at south of Perth, maybe Baldivis, or any where from port kennedy, secret harbour, maybe canning vale have heard that is a little more money to live there, Baldivis seems to be our favourite at the momment but we may get there and it be totally different to what we picture it to be, it seems it is a developing area, but may be wrong.

 

Cheers for all the info you have passed to us, im glad we came across your thread, puts mind at ease about getting licence.

 

Gary.

[Pebble]

Maybe a stupid question but here goes. I completed a 4 year indentured apprenticeship with the National Coal Board in 1984. To gain employment as a mines electrician would I have to undergo the Vetassess etc.

[woodymcfc]

Just to give you an update here's a couple of posts that i put up on another site..........

 

Ok I'm here now and I can give you an update on how frustrating the licensing registration is !!!! As you may or may not know, TRA have requested that I do a 1 day Trade test which I am hoping to organise on Monday (got the email letter with contact details on today). I got offered a job within 4 days of getting here on a decent wage working shifts, which I want. So as to not lose this opportunity I though I'd call energysafe (licensing dept.) and see if I could get a head start with the course at cet, not happening !!!! Energysafe will NOT tell you any details of where the course will be, how much it will be, who to contact UNTIL you fill out their application form to apply for a license !!!! When you post the application, I was told by energysafe, it will take 4 weeks, thats four weeks, until you get a response, until then I cannot book onto a course !!

I called into Jandakot CET just to have a word because I was in the area, they were very helpful but said that they dont have any available places on the course until APRIL anyhow !!! Although there are other places where you can do the course.

so in my position I may not be able to start work for another 2-3 months because of TRA and Energysafe. I must admit though that the people at TRA are quite helpful, they dont make the final decision on whether you are an electrician or not its the Local committee and they are supposedly meant to be made up of local buisness people in the trade.......which trade, I really am starting to wonder !!!!!!

BUT the sun is shining, the kids love it and my golf clubs will be here in another few weeks !!!!

[woodymcfc]

The plot thickens !!! arranged the 1 day trade test, for the 6th March !!!! cant get it any sooner....really is taking the piss now.. realistically could be at least another 14-16 weeks before i can enrol on the wiring course, and I'm here in Perth !!!! TRA received my initial application on the 7th June 2011, are they for real !!!!

[woodymcfc]

I have been offered 2 jobs since I have been here, the 1st one wants to know what's happening with the licensing, I had an interview with the director of the firm and he is well aware how pathetic the whole licensing registration is and why WA struggle to find good knowledgeable electricians.

The 2nd Job offer is coming back to me next week, they are a big international company who have taken on trades in the past on a supervised license until the unrestricted one was completed by the employee, hope this one comes off cause it really suits me with the shifts that are being offered.

 

When I called energysafe the girl I spoke with initially sounded like she didn't know her arse from her elbow. I knew more than what she is getting paid to know.

I only asked the next girl if there was any chance that I would be able to sit the trade test sooner elsewhere, my tone was polite because I dont believe you get anywhere shouting at people you want to do things for you ! The response was like I had just **** on her keyboard .... 'YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION, I WONT TELL YOU ANYTHING UNTIL YOU HAVE AN APPLICATION IN BLAH BLAH BLAH' I explained that I have just arrived in the country and that the process with TRA has been going on since June of last year and if possible I would like to arrange my license sooner rather than later because I have a family to support, NOTHING not a' sorry buts its not possible' or 'I sympathise with your position but there's nothing that can be done' sweet FA...........I think I'm going to nominate her for customer relations employee of the year in WA Energysafe !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

If you get anywhere with TRA and energysafe then you may be one of the lucky ones. Employers are aware of the problems here regarding licensing and only yesterday the quote of 'the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing' was used by one employer on the phone to me.

 

Like I said, when you arrive you will have at least a 4 week wait until energysafe process your application, that's if you have your ARTC through. Until you get this application accepted you will NOT be able to book onto a course, then the course availability is anyone's guess, you may be lucky and time it when there is a course available that week then you may not and the next available course may be in 2 months.

 

Goon luck, your gonna need it !!!! And i'm an optimist !!!!!!!

[Guest Anto]

Hi everyone,I an new to the forum and just want to get some views on a job I have been offered in Melbourne.

it is as a solar electrician and the salary is AUD60000 per year with a quarterly bonus which can be be up AUD25000 per year plus overtime.

They are going to bring me out on a 457 visa and pay for flights and relocating expenses as well as any costs incurred for gaining licenses and any courses that need to be done.

I have not got a contract to see the finer details yet and have not agreed to anything as yet but I was wanting to find out if this was a reasonable salary, I will be bringing my wife with me who will not be working as she is expecting our first child.

thanks.

[Guest burness86]

Wow I'm getting nervous now. I fly out with my wife and 2 kids on the 15th feb. I'm getting worried about the work situation as I have received the dreaded email that they are not going to process my artc until I'm out there. Think I'm going to get the safety courses ou the way and take whatever job I can get. Until I can get the A liscence we are going to struggle. Anyway wish me luck and I will let you all know of my experiences.