uk approved electrician,experience in domestic, looking to get work in oz mines !

[stevothespark]

Hi guys, recently headed out to Australia for the trip of a lifetime but also to see what the work situation is like. Basically the money is in the mines, its stupid money they are offering and thats where i want to be ! So really im looking for anyone that has any contacts, information, how to get into the mines, what the script is with have little industrial experience, are there any courses i could do here etc. More info the better !

 

[highspark]

Why don't you go over as a trainee/apprentice. So I've heard you only have to do a year or so and then you pass out as a qualified spark.

 

[supasparxs]

So let me get this right, you only have real experience with domestic wiring?
so you have little or no knowledge motors, generators, limit switches, control systems, conveyors, heavy industrial work and you want to get into mines?

There has been a TV program about coal mines in the USA, if I were you I'd check the discovery channel out and watch it.

10 years ago I worked in a shipyard in Devon for the summer. I was working with other electricians and I learned alot about the industry and differences in two different parts of the industry.

I have no knowledge of mines but I do know my limitations.
I would be very careful if I were you,
because if you are working on a labour camp for 3 or 6 months and everyone's money is bonus orientated....

I could be wrong, please let us know how you get on

 

[stevothespark]

Only have limited experience in commercial and industrial which is why ive been trying to look to do a course on the industrial side of things with motors/generators etc, only problem is that all the courses ive seen are down south in england, being self employed thats gonnie be a double hit in the pocket as i cant work when doin any extra courses. I want to expand my experience and knowledge and the money there is massive......even if your a cleaner or something !

 

[Knobhead]

I think you should climb down off the cloud your on.

It took me 4 years to be classed “competent” under the UK’s M&Q regs. Do you honestly think a mine is going to take on someone with no experience? You need experience in heavy engineering, not the odd bit of commercial and light engineering. No amount of courses will help.

Sorry to be so blunt but you have to be realistic.

 

[stevothespark]

Fair doo's, this is why i was puttin the feelers out to see what the script was. Kinda been stunted by always being in the domestic area of things and the only way to get experience etc is to chuck myself into the industrial side of things..........doing that is the difficult part. Definately heading to oz, whether its the mines or not though haha. This countrys gone to **** so its a good time to try something elsewhere for a couple of years. Everything here qualification wise isnt recognised over there, so its not the easiest thing to do.

 

[supasparxs]

Definately heading to oz, whether its the mines or not though haha. This countrys gone to **** so its a good time to try something elsewhere for a couple of years. Everything here qualification wise isnt recognised over there, so its not the easiest thing to do.

That's funny I understood it that in Australia they were looking for English electricians?

Electrician Career Information for Skilled Migrants | Victoria, Australia - Live in Victoria

but it suppose it depends what course you buy.
I dare say in Australia they will ensure that their electricians know what they are doing

 

[jeremy]

"Down under tradies" deal with trades going either way, I mean emigrating or immigrating!

 

[stevothespark]

cheers for the link there mate. Heard its different licenses for different states. When i was in sydney over christmas and new year, met a few locals that worked there and they said its quite quiet now and a lot of firms went without pay over christmas. West Australia seems to be where all the work is booming. Also heard that Adelaide is the easiest place to get your license. The more info i get the better. So all advice is great. Anything in life worth having doesnt come easy as they say.

 

[MKS]

My reply was longer but my phone deleted it grr!!!

 

[MKS]

Will reply tomorrow as phone playing up! But will say Adelaide no easier or harder, I am from Modbury in South Australia or was, back in England now after ten plus years! Secondly, domestic sparks are seen as amateurs to the commercial and industrial sector!!

 

[Engineer54]

It's a lot easier said than done emigrating to Aussie these days!! You need to meet all the other criteria, not just your trade or professional qualifications, but they do go a fair way in building your required acceptance points...

At least they have a State run registration system for qualified electricians, whether it be State by State or not, i'm sure it's not going to be too difficult to transfer registration from one State to another... Most of the mining industries in Oz are on the Western side. ...And as others have stated, if your mainly domestic originated then your going to be way under qualified for the work that's going to be expected of you....

 

[MKS]

It was easy getting my citizenship but getting residency was the hardest thing I have endured!!! They want to know everything about you, including your family history, medical history everything all at your own expense! I was lucky in that my wife is Australian and we had a child which helps as they don't like to split families!

You could get a two year holiday working visa which allows you to work and live for two years legally to fund your holiday, cut off age is 35.

You can't do any kind of electrical work without a license, you get cowboys but at least they will be qualified cowboys lol

In the end, trust me when I say the grass is not greener. It looks like paradise on A place in the sun and Poms in paradise, but in reality the truth is far different!! Good luck

 

[bobzzz]

Just my 2 cents. Unless you have mining experience, HT (HV) experience or at the very least heavy plant equipment experience you really do not have much of a chance getting into a mine unless you have an inside contact. There is a reason they are advertising such high pay and so many jobs and it is because they cant find the people with the appropriate experience. Know quite a few men working the mines in africa for aussie companies (rio tinto, bhp billiton,etc) and this is what they told me.

 

[Guest123]

Getting mine work in the UK is hard enough, in Aus it is a hell of a lot harder.

Unless you have the previous mine experience & associated mining qualies then you simply wont get a look in.

 

[MKS]

Getting mine work in the UK is hard enough, in Aus it is a hell of a lot harder.

Unless you have the previous mine experience & associated mining qualies then you simply wont get a look in.

Agreed. People think, oh look I am a qualified spark, why not just work in the mines, hell, I will just emigrate. In saying that, a friend of mine works in Perth mines with a industrial/commerical background in the UK, they run some training courses up to help you adjust so to speak... Certainly not that easy and not an easy decision to make without thinking long and hard about it! It is one thing dreaming it, it is another thing living it!!! In saying that, Perth is a beautiful place as is Adelaide, but to me, England will always be gods own green!

For those looking, immi dot gov dot au (dots representing full stops) is the best place to start!!!

 

[stevothespark]

Cheers for all the advice guys. Gonnie try and get my license when in Perth, back to college ! whole thing is experience if anything. Scotland is dead trade wise, so might aswell try something different, can always come back ! Any more advice or contacts you can pass on, that would be great.

 

[Victor]

Cheers for all the advice guys. Gonnie try and get my license when in Perth, back to college ! whole thing is experience if anything. Scotland is dead trade wise, so might aswell try something different, can always come back ! Any more advice or contacts you can pass on, that would be great.

Give it a go and if it don't work out at least you can say that you tried and not have the thought in the back of your mind forever saying 'what if?' I did when we moved to France and have to say that I am glad I did.

Good luck and dont forget to keep us informed.

 

[MKS]

I think their first port of call would be immigration, remember to use .gov.au as prefix! If you are keen I can give you some company profiles, particularly in the Adelaide area! Boffa in SA are excellent commercial and Industrial sparks and worth a shot!! Good luck and if you try and fail, at least you gave it a go!