Hayley723 Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Hi all, Just wondering whether anyone could shed some light. We moved to Perth from England on 28th June thinking there was loads of plastering work available as last year we came over for a month & on seek.com there were 19 plasterers jobs but now there isnt 1!! We are totally beside ourselves as a few people are saying that WA is experiencing a downturn in the property market so this has had a knock on effect in the construction industry! What! we have come the other side of the world to get away from this & it has followed us! My husband has 8 years experience in plastering, is city & guilds qualified & has completed an AQF III with master builders in sold plastering & he just cant get work here, just like in the UK! He has gone upto construction workers on site but all they say is to have a look in the West Australian paper as the jobs come out on a wednesday & saturday, when he looks in there all it has in there is a couple of plasterers labourers jobs, he phones for them as we are now getting desperate so he is willing to be a labourer if this is what it takes but all they say is that the job has gone. A few people have passed him numbers & when he phones they just say that the plastering is quiet at the moment & they cant help him! We are beside ourselves, we have waited 20 months for the visa & now this!! This is not how we had thought things would work out. The problem is the children dont start school until 2 weeks so then I will try to get an office job for a couple of days a week but everything is so expensive here so my husband needs to get working asap. Just wondering if anyone else is experiencing the same problem or are we just panicking too much?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ozinpom Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 I don't know about plastering but my experience is that if you are looking for work via the Seek site you will find that most jobs over a couple of days old are gone. Seek told me that the advertiser does not have to remove an advert when the job is taken and it is only removed automatically after a month. So anyone that thinks that there are lots of jobs begging to be taken they are mistaken, there's a lot of competition for work. Don't be misled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley723 Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 Ok thanks have gave up looking on seek though to be honest! its a waste of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addy Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Has your husband got his white card? (Safety training) He needs that to get work. Tell him to get it if he hasn't got it. It takes a day and costs about $100. Construction has hit a bad patch unfortunately. Would you consider working while he stayed at home for a while? What's your occupation? I had to work for 9 months before my husband got a job. It is tough and I sympathise but needs must sometimes. Good luck :wubclub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 New builds have dropped off pretty dramatically in Perth, and the housing market is down. Whether this will continue or not is anyones guess. Have you tried looking state wide? There may be more building work up north, and it could be an option for the short term. Short of that - try anything you can to fill in the lull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gibbo Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 just moving it up. best of luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley723 Posted July 11, 2011 Author Share Posted July 11, 2011 Thank you for moving the thread up!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie ellis Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 hope your hubby gets work soon , ats nae fine no having a job:no: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgt Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 oh dear, im currently waiting for approval from perth on a 176 as a plasterer, can not your chappy do any maintenance , rendering or smilar or is he strictly plastering, let me know as i might be there in a few months in the same boat, hope it works out, best of luck, jules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Working in construction is up and down in Aus just the same as anywhere else. A lot of trades people work for themselves and just contract to large builders etc. Here in Melbourne a lot of jobs are advertised in local area newspapers which are free and you can usually pick one up at the Newsagency. They may also be on line try this site http://www.communitynews.com.au/Newspapers/tabid/55/Default.aspx In Aus phoning for a job may not do it, going in person is better. Also notorious for never replying to applications where you forward your CV. As has been said on line sites are only for reference and lots of the jobs have already disappeared. Word of mouth is also the way and the pub on a Friday afternoon after 3pm is usually when trades people pop into their local. Lots of jobs get arranged this way. Notices on supermarket boards etc. Put an ad in the local newspaper and see if you can pick up some small work around your area. Take a short course at TAFE like fork lift or something just another skill to get work to tide you over. Good luck I really feel for people in your position and there is light at the end of the tunnel just switch it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley723 Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 Thanks everyone for your advice, we are heading to Hays construction job agency 2day 2 see whether they can find anything, my hubby is willing to do any labouring work now as he phoned loads more contacts yesterday given to hm by someone we got talking to & they said Dale Alcock homes which is a massive housing company here (like Barratts in the UK) have a builder that contracts off them who has 60 plasterers & they havent worked through June at all!! there is just no work here for plasterers at the minute. Its bizarre with all the buildings going up aswell!! My husband is now either gonna get labouring work or re train to go on the mines, this is obviously not ideal as it would mean working away but needs must!! We have claimed family assistance from yesterday so that should help a bit as our savings are dramatically drying up!! Ive started applying for office work aswell now. Weve had many sleepless nights since arriving here!!!:confused: Just cant understand why plastering is still on the demand list, makes you wonder whether its all just a con to get the population up here in Oz, we feel very bitter at the moment!! Weve decided to give it a year as you have to give it longer dont you then if thinbgs are still the same we are going to head back to England. Things arnt much better there but at least we will struggle & be around family. Sorry to scare anyone waiting for there visas but in a way I wish I had known what to kind of expect when we arrived as its been a major shock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 I've seen exactly this kind of thing happen in the mid 90's. By the time the visas are issued for people who are in demand the economy has changed a bit and the people arrive and find the promised jobs don't exist. My friend is a plasterer and has been here about 40 years and works for himself, has good references and contacts. In the mid 90's he was really struggling for work and bought a concreting machine, which does the edges around lawns, taught himself to use it and did that for a while. 2 months later plasterers were in demand again so he sold the machine and went back to the job he knew better. On the upside, when he is working he earns a lot more than I do in the IT game. He asked me once how much I earned and he said he had earned that much in "cashies" in the previous year. There are a lot of plasterers here though and there must be a lot of choice for the employers. Obviously the ones who have been around the longest have the contacts and get the jobs. Hairdressers were on the demand list for ages and we couldn't understand why as we knew a couple of hairdressers here who were struggling to find work. I think the demands list changes quite often and there is always going to be difficult to predict who and what trades are going to be needed in the 6 months to a year (maybe longer) to put the list out and get the people arriving. Good luck to you, as I said before I've seen things slow down like this and pick up just as quickly. Hope it changes soon and then you will realise you made the right move. It's hard to relax when money is tight. Don't give up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 It's funny - but there are a lot of 80's and 90's style houses with all that awful internal brickwork. If the housing market is down, you think there would be a demand to modernise these houses by plastering over the brickwork. Maybe it's a long shot, but you could try a letter box drop in some of the 80's suburbs along the lines of - "Tired of looking at your internal brick work ..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hevchick Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 It's funny - but there are a lot of 80's and 90's style houses with all that awful internal brickwork. If the housing market is down, you think there would be a demand to modernise these houses by plastering over the brickwork. Maybe it's a long shot, but you could try a letter box drop in some of the 80's suburbs along the lines of - "Tired of looking at your internal brick work ..." Hey newjez, that's made me chuckle :laugh:. Talking about covering up brickwork is as good as blasphemy in this household - unless the bickwork wasn't up to OH high standard and then it's okay! :wink: Hi Hayley, Sorry to hear things are not too good for you guys at the moment. I'm glad you've posted about it though as it's made us aware of the situation. Hopefully things willl pick up again soon. Take care and good luck Hev x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Hey newjez, that's made me chuckle :laugh:. Talking about covering up brickwork is as good as blasphemy in this household - unless the bickwork wasn't up to OH high standard and then it's okay! :wink: Hi Hayley, Sorry to hear things are not too good for you guys at the moment. I'm glad you've posted about it though as it's made us aware of the situation. Hopefully things willl pick up again soon. Take care and good luck Hev x I've never seen a UK house with brickwork on the inside - learn something new everyday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gibbo Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Any luck with the jobhunting yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I've never seen a UK house with brickwork on the inside - learn something new everyday! This is the sort of internal brickwork I was talking about. I hate it - but I guess some might like it (not my house - chosen at random) A house that needs some plaster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley723 Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 Any luck with the jobhunting yet? No nothing weve phoned job after job in the paper for my husband for plastering & plasterers labouring & for any other labouring & for myself for admin work for full time & part time & still nothing, we have joined every agency going including Hays & they said they will contact us if anything comes up & my husband has been walking up to construction workers on site & all they say is that the work has dried up!! Weve met loads of people who pass us numbers but when we phone they say there isnt much work & dont bother calling us back! My husband has got 1 days labouring work for someone that we have met for a floor laying company on wednesday but thats it. Its absolutely awful!!! were jobless & miserable!!!!!:no::cry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest siamsusie Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Hayley this is 2 hrs old Renderer required for exspanding plastering company.Only top trades people need apply work must be to a very high standard with clean finish.Right wages for the right person.Send email with cv or experience. http://perth.gumtree.com.au/c-Jobs-construction-trade-engineer-tradesmen-labour-Plasterer-Renderer-W0QQAdIdZ298711847 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley723 Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 Hayley this is 2 hrs old Renderer required for exspanding plastering company.Only top trades people need apply work must be to a very high standard with clean finish.Right wages for the right person.Send email with cv or experience. http://perth.gumtree.com.au/c-Jobs-construction-trade-engineer-tradesmen-labour-Plasterer-Renderer-W0QQAdIdZ298711847 Ahh thanks for that weve just applied for it. Hayley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gibbo Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Keep plugging away and something will turn up. I know how you are feeling right now as we were in the same position as yourselves. Perth is a very expensive place when you are using your savings to survive and worrying if they are going to run out. All the very best and keep us posted on your progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sansomjoanne Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Hayley, I so feel for you. My husband is a builder and we moved to the Sunshine Coast in April 2009, but unfortunately due to the lack of work we had to come back to the UK last year after managing to stay for 1 year. We absolutely loved it there, but I never managed to find work and my husband was in and out of work, never building!! He did carpentry, never done it in his life before! I got a job within 3 days of being back in the UK and my husband has been in work since returning. However, if you can stick it out then stay, although we have work we regret coming back every single day and are looking to go back next year. I know it's hard, but just make sure you are strong for each other and keep your chin up, hopefully you will find something soon. It is who you know, so mingle as much as possible, I have my fingers crossed for you. Don't come back! x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cazmayo Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Hi ya, I lived in Perth some years ago, and now trying to move back. Dont know about the plastering hun, but try Secretarial Bell Personnel - Perth (temp agency) - found them really good and lovely to work for. Kelly Services - Temp Agency) - they had offices in Perth and Sydney, work for them in both places. Best of luck, chin up, if one of you gets a job it will take the pressure off. Keep networking!!!! Its who you know in Aus. Kind regards cazmayo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley723 Posted July 18, 2011 Author Share Posted July 18, 2011 Hi everyone thanks for trying to help really appreciate it!! We have slight progress, my husband had a call tonight from a plasterer who lives on the same estate as us saying that he will take my husband on as a labourer initially for 1 week then see how he gets on after that & he will show him everything he needs to know about plastering in western australia as its different to the uk, he starts on wednesday. We are happy as that is all he needs, just some wa experience & hes getting paid aswell. Im going to phone the temping agencies tomorrow so fingers crossed. It has been on the news tonight that WA has the strongest economy out of the whole of Oz so it shouldnt be to hard to find work, just panicking I think!! this is a beautiful place & great for kids so gotta stick at it & keep fighting I guess.:yes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgt Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 thats the spirit, youll be fine, best regards Julian, ps ,you might be able to help me wen i get there, lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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