ducktape Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Hi guys I've just passed my qualifications as a wall and floor tiler and this is what I will be making my visa application as, however as a small business onwer in the UK I m skilled in more than one area as are many UK tradesmen running a small building business are. So obviously I m looking to get my other skill as a carpenter and joiner AQF recognised either before I go or once I arrive. When I laid out my work history I listed the job for example kitchen, bathroom renovation, then I would detail the tiling aspect of that work. So it would be that I could now use the same job kitchen, bathroom renovation and simply detail the carpentry aspect of that work, since I did do both jobs. I wasn't going to lie or change my work history to get the qualifications because I can do all the work but obviously for the purposes of visas I had to be one or the other. My question is however how do I proceed in gaining my carpentry and joinery AQF III. Can I run through the same process up until I gain the qualification, there's no need to go onto TRA because that has been fufilled by my wall and floor tiling AQF for the purposes of my visa. I went through the master builders for the wall and floor tiling a brilliant service by the way and I could tell my examiner knew I knew more than just tiling. Can I do this here from the UK or would I need to wait until I m on Aus soil, how would this be viewed? any views on this would be great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kevinboomer Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 hey ducktape, I'm not sure what happens these days because it seems to change every 5 mins. Here's my experience! Did my apprenticeship,City & Guilds and all that. Been a carpenter all my life along with being a qualified Site Manager and extensive experience in construction. I've been Project manager for many years and as we all know our industry ebbs and flows with the economy. So ended up with my own small building company doing carpentry contracts and extentions/loft conversion etc for the last 7 seven years. I came to Australia on a 175 skilled migrant visa in Jan. My qualifications and experience ..............................................meaningless !!!!!!!! When i arrived i had to get a licence to be a carpenter. No problem !!! Big problem!!!!!!! No licence untill you do your Cert 3 carpentry qualification. Recognition of prior learning or RPL was the route i went but it still meant over 200 pages of work. And its not multiple choice !!!!!! It took almost 4 months and i will receive it on Monday . Hallelluyah !!!!!!!!!!!! I can now work on site as a carpenter. Its not how do you hang a door or put skirting round mate its pretty involved. And you have to prove it!!!! Now i have to go through the same sh7t to get my management qualifications recognised.!!!! This of course is QLD. I don't know about anywhere else but it won't be easy wherever you go. I could go no but i don't wanna put you off.!!!! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ducktape Posted October 16, 2010 Author Share Posted October 16, 2010 hey Kev You won't put me off, much of the reason I m leaving the UK is because of unqualified tradesmen (actually there not tradesmen!!!) undercutting me and taking my work. So gaining Aus qualifications I consider simply part of the process to conform, yes it costs, yes it takes time and yes you got to prove it, but I m happy to do it... My issue is how will they view it when I show the same work history but with a different skill aspect demonstrated? Ultimately in order for me to carry out the work I do here in the UK, I need to have tiling AQF III, carpentry AQF III, and certificate iV in building and construction to do the same work in AUS, I m happy to do this but I want to do it in the right way. My initial plan was tiling qualification for visa, then carpentry qual when I arrive (I m planning on this within the first 6 months) under RPL. with the cert IV in building and construction you can either go to college or do a distance learning online so I can start that here in the UK once I have visa in passport to complete this I have to been in Aus but that's OK. This would mean that within the first 12 months of landing in Aus I have all the certs I need. Obviously I intend to work for builders, kitchen and bathroom companies probably over the first 2 years to get the feel of the trade as I know its different and the trade language different too. Then maybe go it alone once I get my builders license which I need 2 years experience for to get anyway. However I m thinking is it a good idea to try to get RPL for carpentry from here or will this then make them question my tiling certs they just given me? Doe this all make sense? can you see where I m coming from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kevinboomer Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 Hey ducktape, How can you get RPL when you haven't learnt it? You need experience!!!! I'm sorry mate but it all sounds easy and simple but through my experience its anything but. There are no short cuts. Do you have any sites to prove you've done the carpentry? I'm not just talking about a door you've hung or a boxing you done to finish your tiling.I'm talking about a roof or formwork (which is big over here) Saircases,working with percussive tools. You need references from three referees stating they have seen you undertake 100 different tasks repeatedly.Not just over a few months. When/if you get your visa it won't actually state what trade you come here on. Thats the crux of the matter!!! You have to prove that you are capable AND qualified in whatever job you do to obtain any licence to do it. I know TRA has changed since i did mine(2007) so i can't really comment, only tell you what my experience is now. Anyway mate, it'll be 2 years before you get here at least, if you haven't already done your TRA. So things will probably have changed by then. Probably not for the better either. You seem to have it all sorted mate ! I wsh you luck !!! PM me if you think I can help !!! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ducktape Posted October 16, 2010 Author Share Posted October 16, 2010 Hey Kev Maybe I should have been clearer, I m a carpenter by trade and have been since I left school in 1990!!! and consider tiling as my secondary trade. I don't work on big building sites I work in the private and domestic market. I renovate houses for a living I can and do carry out most of the work you state day in and day out. I can prove all of those things with statements, photos etc,etc... As I said before my work history is consistent ie. I have listed all the house renovation jobs I worked on over the last 6/7 years, all I did was list the tiling aspects of that job. Therefore now to apply for my carpentry qualification I would list all the same house renovation jobs as before and then highlight all the carpentry aspects of that job. I was advised to apply as a wall and floor tiler for speed something that has proved correct. I m finished on the skill and TRA bit and waiting for my visa. I m very aware it is never as easy as it sounds, I was told it would take about 6 months just to get my skills recognised once I had got all the info together to prove my skills and evidence. I compiled all the evidence they wanted over a weekend because I have detailed records of my work going back years. Whilst it took 3 months for me to go through this process most of that was due to waiting and processing times. However what I did find is that pictures really do speak a thousand words and I have always taken photos, this was more for litigation reasons because I have worked at the high end of the market and these clients are known for not paying and the sums involved can be high. But lets be honest I don't take many photos of doors or joisting or installing a roof, etc. Most photos are of the finished thing mainly the kitchen, bathroom, the finished extension etc... I won't give you a whole presentation but here are some photos of a finished job. I have records of in more detail showing stages I would present to an assessor. I would be gratefull of any advice you can give me and thanks for offering, I find with things like this the whole process seems huge, but if you break it down into parts it becomes less so, then its a simple matter of doing things in the right order and not jumping ahead of the process stages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kevinboomer Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 Hey ducktape, I get it now !!! Thanks for clearing that up because i was some what confused.You have got to be clear on here cos its easy to get the wrong end of the stick in this complicated business. The more info the better mate . Have you submitted your application ? If so have you got a CO yet ? Check out my tiimeline, it will give you a fair idea of how long it takes.But things have slowed up i hear. Is it a 175 ? Where are you going ? Any idea? Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ducktape Posted October 16, 2010 Author Share Posted October 16, 2010 I m aiming to be out there in 12 - 18 months this is factoring in more than just the visa, I have contracts here I want to fulfill. After much debate since they have changed the migration options, I m heading for SA, not many people want to go here and there are pros and cons, but the upside is less people in the queue for visas!!! Since I m probably going to be studying in the first instance it doesn't matter where I m based. If it isn't working out then I'll move on..... Who did you do your RPL with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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