Australian Electrician in London

katie_kid · Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 2

Hi, does anyone know how an Australian Qualified Electrician would go about getting qualified to work in the UK? From what we have found so far it looks like a few courses and exams are required.... is it really that difficult?

Darryl · Joined: 16 May 2006 Posts: 6

I'm wondering the same thing myself. I was born in the UK, but have lived most of my life in Australia and as such have Australian Qualifications. Just wondering now what I need to do to obtain UK qualifications.

The following is what I'm considering doing:

* talking to JIB to see if I can get graded based on my AU apprenticeship qualifications
* enrolling into an IEE Wiring Regulation 16th Edition Coarse

With the latter I'm looking at doing it at Brian Scaddan and Assoc in Waterlooville. They offer a 1 day a week for 4 week coarse followed by an exam to obtain that.

Darryl · Joined: 16 May 2006 Posts: 6

Oops, can't see how to edit my previous post.

If anybody has any information on what one should do if they're coming from Australia with qualifications, could they please let me know what to do. Thanks!

JockO · Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Posts: 17

Afternoon fellas,

Give me your e-mail addresses and I'll drop you a line.
It's not as difficult as you think and you don't neccesarily have to have your 16th/ECS to get site work.

duke79 · Joined: 29 May 2006 Posts: 1 Location: ummmmm

Hi Just been reading this forum and I have the same query Jock0, my email address is cfricho1@hotmail.com would appreciate any help I can get. thanx

Craig

katie_kid · Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 2

Hi JackO, i would really appreciate some advice. If you could e-mail me at katie_kid@fastmail.fm that would be great.

littleg2 · Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 20

hey guys
it seems they accept your qualifications here.
i am a saffa and have worked with a few aussies all our papers are accepted and most agencies will tell you that.

Darryl · Joined: 16 May 2006 Posts: 6

JockO send the details to jobs@morganpost.com

Thanks!

Darryl · Joined: 16 May 2006 Posts: 6

Still waiting for that post Jocko Smile

theliz · Joined: 07 Aug 2006 Posts: 2 Location: Billericay

There seems to be a number of different opinions as to what is required to work in the UK as an Electrician.... hopefully this will help and if you need any further info you can always e-mail me on maxwhite@freeuk.com.

I have worked within the M & E Recruitment industry in the UK for the past 10 years and during this time I have helped a number of Aussie lads sort this confusing process out. The last one spent over 6 months working as a spark on a very large stadium project ..... not the one still being built ..... the one that was finished on time and to budget!!!

Basically if you have an Aussie licence and you want to work on ANY decent sized project in London (these are normally the ones that pay the best money!!) you will need to complete the following:

An ECS test (£35) - takes approximately 2 weeks to organise a test and receive your certificate back from the Joint Industry Board. 40 mulitple choice questions and you must score 34 or more to pass.
DO NOT SIT THE CITB TEST WHICH IS OFFERED AT LOCAL DRIVING TEST CENTRES AND BY SOME UNSCRUPULOUS LABOUR AGENCIES AS YOU WILL NOT GET AN ELECTRICAL TRADE CARD WITH THIS TEST... YOU WILL ONLY WASTE YOUR MONEY.....

16th Edition Wiring Regs course - This is the tough one as it can take quite a while to get booked on a course as there are a lot of non-uk qualified electricians looking to work in the UK now and they all need the 16th Edition before they can get the JIB card. I have a contact that administers this test in Essex for £335 including exam fees. The good thing is that the course is run at least once a month and only takes 2 days.

Once you have both of the above certificates you will then need to complete a JIB card application form which you can download from their new website - www.jib.org.uk

The application will cost £25 and you will need to get someone to sign off your photo as a true likeness etc however you do not need an employers endorsement as you can apply as a self-employed individual. Put copies of your ECS certificate/16th Edition and Aussie Licence in with your application and make sure you apply for the Installation Card as this is the one that agencies are looking for. Another tip is don't be worried about the NI number as you can use a temporary for the purposes of the application. (A Temp NI number is TN (your date of birth i.e. 251279) M which stands for Male)

The card (which lasts for 3 years) should take around 2/3 weeks to be returned and then you can contact my office on 0870 060 1992 and we will be able to give you a choice of work at no less than £13.00 per hour and a minimum of 45 hours a week. I may also put you in touch with other colleagues that work within the industry who will also be able to offer you work in London including on the London Underground, which does pay good money.

Most jobs are now paying much more than £13.00 but at least it gives you a benchmark. BE WARNED - You will be required to provide us with your Ancestrial passport or Working Holiday Visa before we put you out to work so make sure you have a right to work in the UK before you go through this process!!!

If anyone wants to find out more about booking their ECS test/16th Edition course, even if you aren't in the country yet, feel free to e-mail me on maxwhite@freeuk.com and I will do my best to help.

Happy hunting guys...... there are loads of jobs out there for those that REALLY want them......

If your a plumber or pipefitter the process is TOTALLY different however I've typed far too much already so please feel free to get in touch and I will try to help you too.

By the way JACK0, I agree, anyone can work in Recruitment and most consultants are crap at their job, however to make good money and last more than 12 months you have to possess a little more than just good people skills...... although its a good start. Problem is, most recruitment companies will show you the road if you can't generate a quick profit and that is why the industry is full of crap inexperienced consultants.....

Darryl · Joined: 16 May 2006 Posts: 6

Thanks for that. Since my first post I now have the following: C&G 2381 - 16th Edition, ECS H&S Certificate and JIB Graded Electrician Card (recieved yesterday).

At first I was informed by the JIB that I'd need to send my qualifications to the UK Naric to get assessed into a Letter of Comparibility but apparently this was wrong information. A second phone call to the JIB gave me the correct information which was as theliz said: 16th Edition Assement and the ECS Assessment.

So now onto the job hunting. What I want to know is why everyone in the UK seems to be called Engineers? In Australia I did everything from installation of Mechnical Service Plant (eg. Ventillation Fans, VAV, FCU, etc), to HVAC Controllers, to CAD design of Mechanical Services Form 1/2 switchboards and even at times when required helped construction of them. But did I consider myself and Engineer? Not in a long shot.

Darryl · Joined: 16 May 2006 Posts: 6

Btw, for anybody wishing to do the C&G 2381 - 16th Edition Course in the Hampshire/West Sussex region, then I recommend going to Brian Scaddan and Associates in Waterlooville.

theliz · Joined: 07 Aug 2006 Posts: 2 Location: Billericay

So have you found yourself a decent job yet Darryl??

kieljaeger · Joined: 02 Nov 2009 Posts: 1 Location: london

hello,

iv just come across your forum and would really appreciate your help if possible.
im a qualified electrician from QLD and just moved over. Im finding it ver hard to get a job on sites??
which would be the best way to go about this??
hope you can help..
my email is lilmick@hotmail.com

cheers...

plumbing philosopher · Joined: 24 May 2008 Posts: 123

Darryl

Just a point on your comment about 'engineers', the over use of this word in endemic in Britain. In the Gas industry we have licence to practice, but this is just a scam, it does not improve products or services to the public, but rather just acts as a mechanism for capitalism (in terms of courses, purchased to practice ie individual licences for every little bit of the job, from cookers through to using flue gas analysers).

We now have a new gas registrar called Gas Safe, who said that they would keep the price the same as Corgi, who used to run it - we were all chuffed with this - however, we have just found out they have let another 20,000 enter the register, when the annual need is about 2,000.

Coming back to the word 'engineer', this is how Gas Safe refers to their operatives, whether they have a few weeks experience or a life-time.

You will find that many electricians in England and Wales often have little more than a five day assessment which is referred to as Part P. These, as in plumbing and gas work, undermine the real 'engineers' who have spent many years of toil to aspire to such a title, for them the title is to be earned and not presented on a plate by a goverment outsource contractor like Gas Safe (Capita).

Russet Guzzler · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 12:37 pm Post subject:

If you're an engineer from a sunny clime, watch out for armed police and don't travel on the Underground...

On the engineer debate - most people referred to as engineers over here are no more than repair mechanics

LondonChap · Joined: 07 Sep 2009 Posts: 1035

plumbing philosopher · Joined: 24 May 2008 Posts: 123