Getting ARCtick license in Australia

[ice_p]

Hi there just wondered if anyone might have some advice for me on this matter.

I'm from the U.K. where I am a service engineer with an NVQ 2 and City and Guilds Gas Handling. I have come out to Australia on a 1 year working holiday visa.

I've been here 3 months now doing all sorts of work including Gardening and Pizza making as I have had absolutely no luck finding a job in Fridge or A/C.

I've decided to look back into it again as money is pretty tight but the problem I'm having is not having the license to do the job.

I've looked into ARCtick who put me onto the TRA. TRA then put me onto VETASSES and it looks like to get my license I have to have my qualifications looked at by applying for Skilled Migration while in the UK.

Well this seems daft as I dont necessarilly want to migrate I just want to work at what I do best while I'm out here plus I'm in Australia already.

Well if anyone has any advice for me it would be very much appreciated and if theres no hope I'll have to get back to tossing those pizzas.

Many thanks lads!

[Alan.D]

im heading out to oz next week on a WHV and have about 6 interviews lined up when i get there.

Which area are you applying for work? Try to stay away from all the big HVAC companies as they all demand restricted electrical licence and ARKtic licence aswell. try and get in with a small company who install residential units cos they dont really mind because you will be leaving in a few months anyway.

If you get lucky, they could sponsor you and your visa can be extended, and could look into doing all the licences then with that company, thats only if your planning on staying longer though

[dunny123]

I worked out there for a while.
Best thing to do get yello pages,ring roung every fridge/air con company,that what i did and got set on by a company.Im sure you only have to get a licence if you are gooing for residency,not on a one year work visa.You can work for any company on the visa you have,95% sure anyway.

[lawrence1]

ice p,
Contact the Arctick office in the state you are in and they should point you in the right direction.
All the best here,enjoy your stay and heat.

[lowcool]

give the tafe colleges a ring,from memory they had a course to prove competency.you must be working in tassy or the like its about the only place i can think of that would have little demand for mechanics.

and to other new australians it is better to do the right thing than encouraging the cowboys.if it backfires all your doing is giving the wrong impression of your countrymen and the probability if never being accredited here.also the mug employer lots of insurance hassles which he so rightly deserves.
cheers enjoy your stay

[ice_p]

Many thanks for your replies lads! Just very frustrating when you can't have a job because of paperwork and that.

A fridgie came into the pizza shop a few month ago and condemned a compressor as it was tripping out a breaker. I pointed out to him the red hot, seized cond. fan and half an inch of **** on the coil (very simple stuff) but then I'm back to chucking olives and pineapple about. Miss my tools :(

[lowcool]

where the hell is huddersfield,sorry for my ignorance but i do like pizza

[Toosh]

where the hell is huddersfield,sorry for my ignorance but i do like pizza

Hi low. Huddersfield is in England

Norm

[750 Valve]

im heading out to oz next week on a WHV and have about 6 interviews lined up when i get there.

Which area are you applying for work? Try to stay away from all the big HVAC companies as they all demand restricted electrical licence and ARKtic licence aswell. try and get in with a small company who install residential units cos they dont really mind because you will be leaving in a few months anyway.

If you get lucky, they could sponsor you and your visa can be extended, and could look into doing all the licences then with that company, thats only if your planning on staying longer though

Mate, licensing is licensing - don't want to front for it then don't play the game - go flip burgers and backpack your way around the country instead. You'll be singing a different tune if you go and do residential and something goes wrong.... see you in court buddy - Queensland has the BSA and NSW has Fair Trading (not sure about other states), both cover licensing of refrig guys and are aimed at protecting the customer, they will drag your sorry ass to court.

Arctick is for refrigerant handling/purchasing and if you are a company then trading authorisation, most states also have governing bodies as described above that you must also satisfy.

[Alan.D]

Mate, licensing is licensing - don't want to front for it then don't play the game - go flip burgers and backpack your way around the country instead. You'll be singing a different tune if you go and do residential and something goes wrong.... see you in court buddy - Queensland has the BSA and NSW has Fair Trading (not sure about other states), both cover licensing of refrig guys and are aimed at protecting the customer, they will drag your sorry ass to court.

Arctick is for refrigerant handling/purchasing and if you are a company then trading authorisation, most states also have governing bodies as described above that you must also satisfy.

Ya licensing is licensing, that doesnt mean its enforced!! I know countless guys who have got employment in oz without it, and whos that down to?? The employers!!

To be fair, a few guys have asked me for it, and theres one company in particular that has mentioned to me that they will sort out any licensing issues for me and i will gladly undergo any assesments that is needed through them. I'll be very happy then once i can get the ARCtick licence. All im saying is you dont actually need it to get work
.
And no offence mate, but i have never had "anything go wrong" as you put it, I am assuming you mean cause any damage, or hurt somebody through any bad working practices. The reason for that is because I am competant at my job, I enjoy it, It interests me, so i tend not to do installs or service work by half, i do things safely, and do things the way they are supposed to be done.

Just because I dont have a card with my picture on it, doesnt mean i cant do things the the way they should be done. But as i said, im hoping to do the licence if my potential employer asks me:)

[ice_p]

Hey have looked into all the suggestions thanks guys. Not had much luck. The main thing that is annoying is that I can't just get my qualifications from home looked at while I'm out here. Why should I have to apply for skilled migration to get my qualifications looked at? Theres guys out here like mechanics, builders, dental nurses, tree surgeons, etc. and there all out here having a blast free to work at what they do back home with no problems (few cards required for the builders but not hard to get) and their earning great money.

I just think the Oz government should make it a little easier for someone like me to work out here legit for a bit at the job I would be doing if I chose to apply for migration, otherwwise how will I know what it would be like living here.

At the minute I'm not getting a true experience of what living here would be like as I'm workin my arse off and still skint living on beans on toast or toast on beans - still having some fun though.

[Mark II]

I just think the Oz government should make it a little easier for someone like me to work out here legit

I agree.. The majority of Arctic Licence holders in Aus are motor mechanics & panel beaters followed by electricians & plumbers.. Refrig Mechanics come in Last..

The Audit process itself is "A token gesture"..
No Nitrogen Regulator ?
No Nitrogen Use ?

What's the bloody point??


Call Arctic & talk to Doug Braun..

[750 Valve]

Ya licensing is licensing, that doesnt mean its enforced!! I know countless guys who have got employment in oz without it, and whos that down to?? The employers!!

To be fair, a few guys have asked me for it, and theres one company in particular that has mentioned to me that they will sort out any licensing issues for me and i will gladly undergo any assesments that is needed through them. I'll be very happy then once i can get the ARCtick licence. All im saying is you dont actually need it to get work
.
And no offence mate, but i have never had "anything go wrong" as you put it, I am assuming you mean cause any damage, or hurt somebody through any bad working practices. The reason for that is because I am competant at my job, I enjoy it, It interests me, so i tend not to do installs or service work by half, i do things safely, and do things the way they are supposed to be done.

Just because I dont have a card with my picture on it, doesnt mean i cant do things the the way they should be done. But as i said, im hoping to do the licence if my potential employer asks me:)


You can be as proficient as anyone but all it takes is a customer to think they are not satisfied - this may have nothing to do with your expertise. They complain to fair trading or a similar govt body and bingo you are in the thick of it and looking at a $2,200 fine.

You are correct though, it is up to the companies to ask for the licenses and quite frankly I wouldn't be too keen to work for ones who didn't.

[lowcool]

i wont be recommending any irishmen thats for sure!

[Rowan]

So...
Who would you go to in the UK to get qualification verified or is it part of the visa process?
And would you have to resit exams when your out there?
Cheers