C&G qualified sparks eligible for Australian skilled visa??

[Loopytunes]

I've lived in Australia for 2 years on working holidays and am interested in moving there to live. When I was wanting to train to be a spark I looked everywhere for an apprenticeship but couldn't find one anywhere and was told I was too old (25) so I did a electrical trainee course (ridiculous that people were there with vans and cards all printed up to go out and work, some after 3 weeks!) and looked for mate work so I could learn, which I've been doing for nearly 2 years, some domestic and some commercial. I know how a lot of people feel about those 6 week courses and I feel the same, but for 2 years now I've been working with sparks, pestering them constantly for info and techniques etc, and reading every book I possibly can so I understand what I'm doing and why. A lot of the proper sparks in my area sub to me now over apprentice-learned people too so reckon I'm doing ok so far.

Anyway what I want to know is, if I go self employed for x amount of years will I be able to emigrate on the strength of my experience then and my C&G qualifications or will I have to do my NVQ/AM2? Some of them are Level 3 I've been told that helps? Anyone know of a migration agent/site I can call?

And a company called "tradies down under" does an adaption course to aus regs/voltage in london, is this worth doing?? it's expensive. Any info, contacts or links that could help me please chuck em up

Cheers and Beers,

Loops

 

[Skyba]

Just enrolled on a 2357 course leading to the AM2.


Also I'm going to an event called Down Under Live in Birmingham sat 23rd Feb (Down Under Live, jobs and emigration expo for Australia and New Zealand) to do some information gathering, any sparks who want a lift near Bristol or on the way send me a private message, looks good.


Loops

Hi ya loopy, how random, just came on here to have a look around as I've been looking into going to oz as well.


i live in emmersons green and I'm also going to down under live in brum.


Basically it's not all that easy, and its very expensive, by the time you have your visa you'll be looking at about 6-7k


firstly I have been working as an improver and a mate on and off since 2009, i had to retrain due to leaving my previous job in qatar due to health.


I started by doing the 2330 lol 2 on a "full time" 2 1/2 days a week course in Cornwall, I then joined the apprentices on day release and was still just doing bits here and there due to my health and frequent stays in hospital.
In June 2011 I finished my 2330 lvl 3 then started looking for work in Cornwall and couldn't find it so I moved to Bristol.


Since feb last year I've been working constantly as an improver and working towards my NVQ 3, I heard back from my assessor last week and city and guilds have seen my NVQ and have signed it off so all I have to do is wait for the Certs.


Thats my background for you to help you see what they want for oz.


i enquired about a visa and they are unsure if they will consider my 3 1/2 years as experience because I wasn't qualified but the emigration site asks for 3 years experience in your field or one closely linked to it, (I don't think you can get much closer to a spark than an improver) and 12 months in the 24 have to have been worked in the field you are looking to get assessed in. This will determine the points you'll get.


For me to get my points up I am having to take an IELTS English exam and you must score 8 and above on all 4 units to gain the necessary points.


The pay around £1000 for them to look at your quals and see if they will let you do the practical assessment and a theory test.


Then around £1500 for the assessment which you'd 100% need to have done the theory side at college as its all about power factor correction, power triangles and all the other lovely theory that rarely gets used in the real world.


Then the practical is apparently wiring a 2 way lighting circuit, a DOL starter and then test the lot, then the examiner will ask you to leave while he puts a fault on the motor and you then have to find it and fix it.


If you pass all this you can then apply to Australia for and invite to get a visa, then you have to be invited lol.


Once you get there your assessment will only get you a provisional license, this means you'll have to work as a trade assistant until you can get the full license from wherever you are living.


Basically the entire move for me and the mrs from start to finish is going to cost us around the £12-15k mark.






Hope this helps you!!






P.s


don't suppose you know of any work on around Bristol at the minute?? Finished on my last site op3 weeks ago and it's been dead since, looking at doing some private work but not being from here its tough to get started.

 

[bristolianpasty]

I spoke to go Matilda an they said its 2200 + vat to get me my visa. Try them mate, it looks like that's everything sorted with them..!

 

[Skyba]

I spoke to go Matilda an they said its 2200 + vat to get me my visa. Try them mate, it looks like that's everything sorted with them..!

Does that include the skills assessment??

I've had quotes of about £1800-2000 without the skills assessment.

 

[bristolianpasty]

Yeh. Pm me ur email n il send it over