paul1977 Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Hi, just need sum advice. Peeped off isn't the word. Came over in June, applied to Energysafety board, told need skills assessed by TRA again, but couldn't apply as Electrician Special Class but now as Electrical Mechanic. Sent off all the stuff beginning of August. Heard back today after sending e-mail to them on Tues to chase up applic, that I'm unsuccessful, as cant show any projects, start and end dates, nothing mentioned about tools used and nothing certified. What a load of C**P. I've worked in industry for 20 years as Electrician/Maintenance, installing big machines for huge companys, sent pictures, work sheet, statements from employers backing up info, papers of tools used and computer programs, sent copy of employment contracts and P45 as well as payslips and had the whole lot certified by Australian Post Manager which they stated you could on their website! Luckily working a moment, but boss keeps asking when my licence is coming through. Any ideas to what to do, as feel like driving over their and pulling them over the desks!! Welcome to WA. If carlsberg made backward places..........! You know the rest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chapz74 Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Hi guys, I wonder if there's anyone of you fellow British sparks that can shed a bit of light on a bit of a worrying issue....Here goes, me, my wife and our 4 kids are moving from Kent uk to Hobart tasmania in February 2013 I am a JIB Sparks and its seems as though the best I can be hoping for over there at theinute is labouring jobs?? Anyone hot any better news or should I give oz a second thought??CheersRay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest perksy Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Hiya everyone, Does anyone know when the 2 week ARTC courses are running January or the closest ones to january in WA, we arrive on the 27th of December so looking to get sorted straight away. Anyone else going at this time? Steve and family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinmaclec Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 Hiya everyone, Does anyone know when the 2 week ARTC courses are running January or the closest ones to january in WA, we arrive on the 27th of December so looking to get sorted straight away. Anyone else going at this time? Steve and family. you mentioned that you done Vetassess so that means you are not allowed to do the easy route. Gap training all the way! Enjoy and good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillys1980 Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Hi Mark great thread, appreciate you taking the time to show what happens during the practical assessment. I am booked in for my practical but i am a low voltage Security technician, dont suppose you know anything about the assessment i am likely to be put through ?, some similarities like ohms law and stuff so i guess we'll be on a similar path. Hope your having fun out there !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinmaclec Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 An update for all my fellow second rate UK sparks( well according to Australia we must be!). Today i received my first batch of homework from the college i attended. A 50 or so page document with questions to be answered and returned. When this is completed we then get sent a project to do at home as well. This is ridiculous if you ask me. Its hard enough trying to get settled in to a new country and deal with your family, find a decent job and somewhere to live without having to do this and fill a log book as well. I wanted to emigrate for a better life not to be treated like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 An update for all my fellow second rate UK sparks( well according to Australia we must be!). Today i received my first batch of homework from the college i attended. A 50 or so page document with questions to be answered and returned. When this is completed we then get sent a project to do at home as well. This is ridiculous if you ask me. Its hard enough trying to get settled in to a new country and deal with your family, find a decent job and somewhere to live without having to do this and fill a log book as well. I wanted to emigrate for a better life not to be treated like this. I'm totally on your side, I think this will make people think twice about coming which I can totally understand. All that to earn around 35 bucks an hour if you don't get on one of the big company's who are under an EBA agreement . Not worth it considering the huge cost of living. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinmaclec Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Yeah i think those of us arriving now have missed the boat so to speak and we are open to being exploited until we get our licenses. I have went from supervising and running projects to being told to do work to a lower standard, being taught how to do 1 way and 2 way lighting at college (yes really!) and regarded as lower than a young lad just finished his apprenticeship when applying for jobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Your right, to be honest I'm speechless about what you lads have to do now considering what I have seen on site here. What energy safety should be saying is " please mr JIB electrician can you please teach the utter useless Australian electrician some form of electrical standard that doesn't put people's life in danger, come to our office and we will hand over a brand new A class licence " regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROWDED HOUSE Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Yeah i think those of us arriving now have missed the boat so to speak and we are open to being exploited until we get our licenses. I have went from supervising and running projects to being told to do work to a lower standard, being taught how to do 1 way and 2 way lighting at college (yes really!) and regarded as lower than a young lad just finished his apprenticeship when applying for jobs. Yep your sure right Colinmaclec. Im working on a mine out in Karratha. The standards and organisation are terrible. The tradies resent the Trade Assistants because there a few hundred bucks behind what there pulling, and what an easy life they have. I got given a task of fitting ladder rack round a building lask week. Dead straight forward. The main problem was finding the M10 bolts, square washers and fixings. Told my leading hand i needed the bits. He said just do what you can for now i will get them ordered. He came back that afternoon and said start wiring and banding the cables into the tray work thats not fixed down no bends in place etc. Did what he said kept my mouth shut. Next day the gear turns up, and we are told to start ripping out the cables so we can fix the tray down....Ha ha I must sa though i ve met some good sparks here but the supervisors and leading hands are clueless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Have you found that a m10 nut/bolt here is a little bit smaller than the uk, be careful of your spanner slipping...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinmaclec Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Never mind the spanner slipping what about our standards slipping! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 I know, that's what I've been thinking too. When I go back it will take me a couple of weeks to start thinking and installing properly. Just got over a year to go until my standards rise again when i get back to uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinmaclec Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 I know, that's what I've been thinking too. When I go back it will take me a couple of weeks to start thinking and installing properly. Just got over a year to go until my standards rise again when i get back to uk Can i ask why you are going back? And why wait a year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 A few reasons really. The most important one is I don't like it here, sunshine apart I think it's very overrated here and I totally don't buy into its a better place to raise the kids. I personal think its the other way round, it's so backwards and isolated I think it's a bad place for my kids. Yes there's more prospects here at present but Australia isn't immune to a Chinese slow down and then who knows on the job thing. My other main concern is wages, I'm very lucky to be working for one of the big 3 companies here, we're on the best EBA rate around, if I was to lose my job and couldn't get on another big 3 company the money goes down around 8 dollars an hour and I wouldn't be able to afford to live here, I've not come 9000 miles just to survive, I want to live. I'm from London and all my sparky mates are doing ok, the talk is work is starting to filter through and come 2014 London will pick up. If I'm only going to survive London will be the place I do it and not stuck down here with little money left at the end of the week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Number 1 pom Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 A few reasons really. The most important one is I don't like it here, sunshine apart I think it's very overrated here and I totally don't buy into its a better place to raise the kids. I personal think its the other way round, it's so backwards and isolated I think it's a bad place for my kids. Yes there's more prospects here at present but Australia isn't immune to a Chinese slow down and then who knows on the job thing. My other main concern is wages, I'm very lucky to be working for one of the big 3 companies here, we're on the best EBA rate around, if I was to lose my job and couldn't get on another big 3 company the money goes down around 8 dollars an hour and I wouldn't be able to afford to live here, I've not come 9000 miles just to survive, I want to live. I'm from London and all my sparky mates are doing ok, the talk is work is starting to filter through and come 2014 London will pick up. If I'm only going to survive London will be the place I do it and not stuck down here with little money left at the end of the week I work in London at the moment and its cut throat! The only work seems to be high end residential for £13 per hour and the jobs are pants. I agree with the comments about Ozzie sparks not having a clue there's loads of them here, I've got the unfortunate job of managing them. I'm moving to perth next August and can't wait! Even if the cost of living is high it can't be as bad as London in winter..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 I work in London at the moment and its cut throat! The only work seems to be high end residential for £13 per hour and the jobs are pants. I agree with the comments about Ozzie sparks not having a clue there's loads of them here, I've got the unfortunate job of managing them. I'm moving to perth next August and can't wait! Even if the cost of living is high it can't be as bad as London in winter..... Good luck, try to get on a good firm as 35 bucks an hour goes nowhere and the sunshine doesn't pay the bills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Number 1 pom Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Good luck, try to get on a good firm as 35 bucks an hour goes nowhere and the sunshine doesn't pay the bills. Cheers! He who dares rodders, he who dares!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinmaclec Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 You will be lucky to get $35 an hr while you do gap training. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Number 1 pom Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Looks like the missus will have to get a job then. If I got $35 I would be happy, I thought it would be less than that...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 If your doing you gap training you get between 25-30 an hour and when you get your A class on a non EBA agreement expect around the 35 mark , please be aware your only work an 8 hour day and 35 an hour won't go far if your trying to surport a family too. Just being honest about things, 35 sounds great converted back to pounds but when your paying 10-12 dollars a pint it soon goes.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinmaclec Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Looks like the missus will have to get a job then. If I got $35 I would be happy, I thought it would be less than that...... LOL i used to think like you until i arrived here................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Number 1 pom Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Thanks for the advise Paul. We are under no illusion about it being a bed of roses and have done our research. In an ideal world I would go and earn the brass while the missus stays at home and looks after the little one but I don't think it will work like that. If your a approved spark in the UK with the economy the way it is you will probably earn about £13 ph on the books and £16 ph if a subbie, so if you are the main provider you would struggle to make ends meet, so I can't see the difference really. I'm going for the outdoor living and not the money, I've chased the money here and it gets you nowhere - but stressed! The more you earn the more you spend. Bring on the sun........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Just a bit of advice, I stand side by side with you on all aspects of work BUT the sunshine thing soon wears off. Prior to 2009 I had a way better lifestyle in the uk and had a better disposable income than here in 2012. I fully understand that right now this is the better place but I can never recall prior to the recession even worrying about money like I do here today in a country thats not in recession. When the uk spark grows a backbone and starts a fight back on terms and conditions which is slowly starting to happen then its the uk all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norms85 Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Hi I'm just wondering wether or not it's worth bringing Ur toolbox with u r just buy new tools in oz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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