Georgiajoemillie

Hi guys ive been here for 8 months now and have only just booked into doing my migrants training at challenger in November. when I first came over every job I applied for ask if I has my gas, so I got my gas RPL across at polytechnic west balga,guy called Wayne Price ( Welsh) us brilliant . I did all the theory side in one day and a day and a half to do the practical. Before you come over do a UK first ad course, saves time and money here. get someone to write a reference saying you've had experience with tower scaffolding, making good, laying concrete, working at heights, saves again doing it here. after my gas was done, you'll hit the famous have you got 5 years WA experience . Be prepared for knock backs . it took me 7 weeks to get work, and that was only as a subby because the manger was English. I've since got a wages job with the same company. money here looks good but I insure you with just myself working we break even each week due to the high cost of living here. im not trying to be negative here guys but its definitely not all roses. once you've got a start you'll be ok. it is a different way of plumbing but it doesn't take long to adjust to there ways good Luck ian

We moved over in jan, kids go to warnbro high and primary ( 15,10 &6) education isn't a patch on the uk. school Is good though and kids love it. like anywhere you have kids that want to learn and kids that are disruptive thing is if you speak to people from warnbro they say safety bay is rubbish, people from comet bay slag off warnbro etc etc. apparently the new school in BALDIVIS looks good. basically it's down to the individuals don't get too hung up on comparisons though

Hi, we live in the next suburb Warnbro. we have been here for 2 months now. this is the things good or bad that ive found ( personal experience) positives: beach, from port k to rockingham , fantastic beaches . pk great for beach fishing cycle path , you can cycle from pk to penguin island ( shoalwater ) great views and path, go a bit on the road then path again to rockingham ( foreshore is brilliant for parks) met people through pk soccer club, all nice. negatives takeaways, awful ( Chinese are shocking) bogans , everywhere. Loads of tattooed people that want to go about swearing eveverywhere hoons, idiots on road for every nice person, you seem to get an idiot crime( not experienced this personally) but alot higher from what were used to ( which was a small devon town, so hard to compare) ​ hope this helps

From my experience its deffinately WA exp there after. after getting all my tickets to work, not one person has asked to see them ( I could be blagging it) they probably know straight away if your capable or not like In the uk , if I had a new worker, you'd know within a couple of hours what there like

Omg, you sound like my wife. are you missing Tescos as well !!!!!! your experiences are so the same , she was even swimming with our daughter as well

where as in the uk I would completely plumb the house from start to finish its different here. Tube out : you get the tube out in before slab is poured, they install all the drainage and any pipes the need to go into slab. water service : this is where the hot and cold are chucked in through roof space in plastic , chased down the wall and they have spuds ( 1/2 inch brass threads / nipples coming out of wall for taps / pipe connections ) sanis: cementing in bath( no legs)its a bastard put in floor grates connect vents and expection points, install floor drains ( outside) install and weather pipes from extractor fans install w/c and any fridge isolation valves install laundry sink finals: install all taps showers toilets pipe up sinks outside taps hot water unit fill and test im doing sanis and finals ( which I like), its fairly easy work ( not brain working) but you have to work for your $$$ you can do a sani in around 5-6 hrs and a final normally in a day or shorter depends how big it its all hard soldering here , which takes 4x longer than uk joint

Hi all, i haven't been on this Site for ages, so I thought that I'd give a quick update to our new life in Perth. firstly the get out clause , this is our experience , others may of had/done it differently. Arrival: we left Devon on jan 24th full of snow and minus 3 degrees , we struggled to get the hire car for our journey to Heathrow. Flew out with Singapore airlines on the 25 th and arrived on 26 th ( Australian day) at 2:40pm.( Singapore airlines were fantastic) Wow that heat when you walk out of the airport , it hits you like a hot air blower but is nice. our friends picked us( 5 of us) up and we stayed at there house in Baldivis the 1st night. we stayed up until around midnight (even though we were knackered) to get in the time zone, and luckily no one had jet lag. we had a 4 week rental booked in South Yunderup, as we've never even set foot in Australia before our research which was via goggle earth , forums etc let us down. It's bloody miles from anywhere . The areas that we had researched Warnbro , port Kennedy etc is about a 40-45 min drive away. Rentals: as we are still renting our house out in the uk we have no choice but to rent over here . we started looking after the first week, mainly around the above suburbs. We kept being told that it was going to be difficult with no job and no WA rental history. We put together a good rental pack with everything in it including inside leg measurements!!! we must of viewed between 35/40 houses , the ones around the $400 /week mark were disgusting , you can tell straight away what sort of landlord there going to be , wall paper coming off , really dated . in the end we secured a brand new unit, its only a 3 bed and a bit Small for the 5 of us, but its a start. Car: easy to get but don't forget to pay the tax or the sale ( not sure of the name) but the sods fined me $ 100 for late payment. Work: im a Plumber with a176 PR visa. after we secured the rental and kids at school I started to look for work. i had a sort of job lined up while I was still in the uk, I met them ( really nice people and company) but with all the WA courses required , I didn't have time or money on my side to continue . i had arranged my plumbers license in the uk , so it was pay and wait around 2 weeks or it to start with I e mailed around 45 firms with my cv, no replies , not even a thanks but no thanks. next some calls, I kept being rejected by the same answer, Have you got your gas license So off to TAFE were I managed to RPL most of my UK qualifications across, I did 4 days at a cost of $777, it would of been $1700 if I didn't have a PR visa. Got my gas license ,next , I made around 40 calls one day all to be told sorry you've to no WA experience ( I've been bloody plumbing for 24 years). By know I was on a downer, I started applying for anything , still no response. i then applied for a plumbing job self employed , they advertised needing min 5 years WA experience. i called them and luckily the manager was English who had been through this C**P, I said to him that could I work free of charge to get the elusive WA experience. He said Yes,what YES did you say YES, anyway cut the story short. I was meant to go with one of his guys but he chucked me in the deep end alone and I've been working for them since. the weird thing is , is that I applied and called this company and was tuned down for not having WA exp. I guess that day I was lucky that he answered the call. i must admit though that from running my own plumbing uk business , the work is different but I'm enjoying it. start early , finish earlier schools: our kids are 5,10 & 14 and they go to Warnbro school ( high and primary) they have settled really well. our son went back to yearc5 from UK 6 as his bday is in August, and he finds it easy. our 5 year old is ahead in reading but I suppose they all end up the same. settling : myself and the children are loving it . my wife on the other hand is having difficulties . from being bitten by a spider , swimming with a dugite snake , to the local bogans, she misses the uk shops/ supermarkets . the area we live in is bogan city ( rockingham suburbs) we come from a quiet Devon town around 8000 people where everyone knows each other and the gossip is a fight in the local pub. here they is swearing everywhere, from a parent swearing in front of a teacher , to people on there phones in the shopping centres , to the tv and even the radio. A 16 year old was stabbed 2 streets away for gate crashing a party, what have we done !!! i deffinately feel that on one hand and we have chosen the wrong area to settle, but on the other the beaches, cycle paths , parks are fantastic. With the children settled at school , moving isn't an option . not everyone is a bogan by the way , we have also met some lovely people, its just for every good person you meet there seems to be a dodgy one. lifestyle: we have done probably more in the 1st 10 weeks than in a year in the uk, as I said above the beaches are out of this world, great cycling, parks, out door activities, free BBQ's by the beaches / parks. its true about the outdoor living and with the beautiful weather its been Great Costs: as you all know its bloody expensive food is dearer and isn't of the same quality . clothes are not so affordable , basically every thing but petrol is more expensive , but we all know this. hopefully when few pay packets come my way its the earn $$$$ spend $$$$$ All the best to anyone starting the process or moving across .

A dig, I'm a uk plumber in Perth and ill give you a quick update on the experience I've had since arriving here. ive been plumbing in the uk for 24 years running my own business fort last 11 years. we arrived in perth on 25 th Jan 13 . Before I came across I got my visa Pr176,though vetassess giving me a level 3 overseas license its not worth even using it or toilet paper over here, it just gets you your visa. i applied for my plumbers license while still in the uk, I sent all my qualifications off to the plumbers board, you can't pay or anything until you arrive but at least your in the system. When you arrive go into West Perth pay $ 250 ish ( can't remember exact) for license, takes about 2 weeks to get. i then started applying for jobs, went through the masters plumbers site and e mailed my cv to around 40 firms, and signed up to every job site , papers etc. Not one reply. i then made phone calls to firms , better as you can speak to people , response was have you got your gas ticket , Not yet, thanks but no thanks. Next, off to Polytechnic West TAFE ( college), a guy there Wayne ( Welsh guy) is brilliant ,he has a system where you can RPL you UK gas qualifications , I did 1 day theory and 3 days practical. It's different than uk, you have to fusion weld plastic pipe, weld steel plates, cut using oxy, weld brackets, LPG in caravans and boats. Don't let this worry you as I'd never done most of this before but its a breeze . Cost of training was $ 777 plus books of around $100 that's if you've it a PR visa cost is about $1600 if you on a sponsored regional one. Wait 2 weeks for confirmation and apply for gas license $ 70 . Apply for more jobs , what quals have you got, well got my plumbing licence, white card ( do this online $ 70), applied for as license, ok what WA plumbing experience ave you got. none, sorry but its different than the uk . what the ****, at this point I was on a big downer, I made calls after calls and was getting the same response. I said to my wife that this visa process is a big on, plumbing on shortage list they get you over , your savings disappear into there economy and you can't get work. i was offered a job with an electrical appliance repair company , but to service gas appliance you need to do another 3 week course at a cost of $ 2000, couldn't afford to do it and the time i started applying for any job in desperation to get $$$$ in. Still no joy , I was tuned down for a packers job. i then applied or another plumbers job, this one self employed staying yet again min 5 years WA experience . Luckily the manager who took the call is English and I was straight to the point ( before they he could say what exp do you have) , told him can't find work please give me a go. I said that could I work with one of his blokes for nothing so I could learn / see WA way. He said yes no problems , YES did you say YES . day before I started he called and said that he's chucking me in at the deep end and I'm on my own. Met on site, he showed me what a sani involves off you go. ive been with them for 3 weeks now doing mainly sanis and finals/ chromes, money is good if you work for it.( I've not worked this hard in years ) The funny thing is , is that I DON'T need my GAS TICKET , as they have a firm that does the gas , and the firm I'm working for I applied for work via e mail and a call but with no luck. one big point to say, talking to Wayne at polytechnic , he said that he gets loads of uk gas fitters across with no plumbing qualifications. theses guys have to start from scratch , do, I think 6 months + plumbing course to get their license. Over here you can't just have a gas ticket like in uk, you HAVE to get your plumbing license before you can have a gas one. with the RPL , do a first aid course before you come out ( I was a youth soccer coach) I did mine before I left, you need it. Get a ref from ex boss stating you have erected tower scaffolding, filled in around flue pipes, worked on a scissor lift. As these are all elements you need crossed off. THIS IS JUST MY EXPERIENCE, SOME OTHERS MIGHT OF BEEN LUCKIER AND FOUND GETTING WORK EASIER any questions fire away ill try and help cheers ian

They do exists, it just what you need to get them over the other potential tennents. main 2 are work and a WA rental reference

We arrived 10 days ago. i was prepared for a battle , but this rental lark is unbelievable . weve viewed around 20 houses ranging from $ 350-480 some of them you wouldn't home your dog in. its a case of the landlord cashing in on the lack of properties and the desparete punters. we have no rental history( still own uk property), and no job at present. I haven't looked due to wanting to get my kids settled. the agents are nice , friendly and helpful. the rental application forms are if your asking them to borrow or guarantor $50 k. apart from not answering about how many times you visit the toilet each day , its fine. Some properties it's just been us viewing, but my god there shocking, others there's been 10 families or more with a couple of hoses with 60+ people queuing at the front door to look at a house that the landlord hasn't even bothered to remove the peeling veneer from the wardrobe door. viewing times, some say available and have no viewing times , others you get a phone call giving you 3 hrs notice . its pot luck. all we need is a positive house, a application granted and a Job. Then all will be rosy perth is a Beautiful place

Hi mate, thanks all good so far, except the dreaded rental hunting havent had time for the job front yet , going into the plumbing board offices tomorrow ian

Hi, down at the river resort at south yunderup= mozzie heaven. lovely area though

Hi, just a quick update to say that we arrived in Perth on 26 th Jan. left Devon in the snow and boy does that heat hit you on leaving the airport terminal. ill do an in depth update when everything is in place . loving it at the moment except the bloody mozzies at our holiday let ian

Hi dave We have never set foot in Australia before , so for us to sell up and say we're going for ever would be suicide . were giving it a 2 year plan and if we are financially ok and children are settled , then we will go from there all the best ian

Thanks paul got my lads leaving do tonight , should be a messy one take care ian