alexw Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 I have been over here now since october and want to share my experience of training with you all. Firstly i would start by saying DO NOT USE CHALLENGER TAFE. 2 days after i arrived here i started my plumbing migrant gap course with them which to be fair went ok although i have since learned if i did it with polytechnic i would of got theAustralian cert 3 with the gas element as oppose to the cert 3 + roofing element i got with challenger. This would of allowed me to apply for my restricted gas licence. immediately after the gap training i enrolled for the gas legislation course with challenger at $315 + books. This was mid october it is now nearly march and they have still not sorted it out. Initially i was told they had no availability for the 1/2 day training and 1/2day assessment. This went on for a month or so and after countless emails, phone calls, and messages nothing was getting sorted! At this point i was getting very frustrated as my employer took me on with the agreement i would get my restricted licence fairly soon. In the end i lost that job due to not being able to carry out gas work. Challanger then said if i know a none family member they could use as an invigalator (dogy spelling) they would send exam through and i could complete it externally. Which i did and returned exam paper within a couple of days. This was on the 9th December! I have called them virtually every day and sent numerous emails and still it hasnt been sorted. In the end i have given up with them and since found out i didnt need to do this course. I have enrolled at poly technic who are rpl ing all my uk gas qualifications. This means all i need to do is a few days doing the LPG side and i will have a cert III ingasfitting allowing me to apply for a full G class licence. Challanger said i would need to do and additional 3 weeks course for this at a cost of over $2000. Polytechnic have charged less than $750 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest9824 Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 I have been over here now since october and want to share my experience of training with you all. Firstly i would start by saying DO NOT USE CHALLENGER TAFE. 2 days after i arrived here i started my plumbing migrant gap course with them which to be fair went ok although i have since learned if i did it with polytechnic i would of got theAustralian cert 3 with the gas element as oppose to the cert 3 + roofing element i got with challenger. This would of allowed me to apply for my restricted gas licence.immediately after the gap training i enrolled for the gas legislation course with challenger at $315 + books. This was mid october it is now nearly march and they have still not sorted it out. Initially i was told they had no availability for the 1/2 day training and 1/2day assessment. This went on for a month or so and after countless emails, phone calls, and messages nothing was getting sorted! At this point i was getting very frustrated as my employer took me on with the agreement i would get my restricted licence fairly soon. In the end i lost that job due to not being able to carry out gas work. Challanger then said if i know a none family member they could use as an invigalator (dogy spelling) they would send exam through and i could complete it externally. Which i did and returned exam paper within a couple of days. This was on the 9th December! I have called them virtually every day and sent numerous emails and still it hasnt been sorted. In the end i have given up with them and since found out i didnt need to do this course. I have enrolled at poly technic who are rpl ing all my uk gas qualifications. This means all i need to do is a few days doing the LPG side and i will have a cert III ingasfitting allowing me to apply for a full G class licence. Challanger said i would need to do and additional 3 weeks course for this at a cost of over $2000. Polytechnic have charged less than $750 Hi Alex, sorry to hear you have had such a 'challenging' time and thanks for taking the time out to post. It will no doubt help lots of people who are trying to decide which courses need to be undertaken and where are the best places to take such courses, always good to hear positive outcomes too, even though you have unfortunately had to deal with what seems like a dodgy tafe. Best of luck with all your new courses. pea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven_gers Posted March 1, 2014 Report Share Posted March 1, 2014 Hi Alex, Thanls for the info, i'm planning on moving out this year to Perth, and i'm a Gas Fitter/repair engineer for British Gas, I've had a nightmare communicating with TAFE. 1st i was ok to do the migrant course even though i wasnt a trained plumber but a NVQ 3 gas fitter/apprenticeship with BG, then this changed, saying i needed a NVQ 2 plumbing certificate. or 4 years minimum verifiable work experience (which for me is easy to produce) but the course co-ordinator said would be very difficult to achieve, My personal opinion is that they couldn't be bothered with phoning references etc and the fact i'm not due over until september, countless emails have gone unanswered, MPA skills much better but have stopped the courses, and Polytechnic have been absolutely different class, emails answered same day or day after(time difference depending) and all the info i needed for when i touch down, still uphill battle but much more positive after i get my licences etc, How did you find obtaining a job? a few mixed views on here but i've got a couple of contacts so hopefully will line me up with some work to tied me over whilst training. How are you enjoying the life across there? what part of Perth have you settled into? Steven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skit78 Posted March 2, 2014 Report Share Posted March 2, 2014 Hi Alex, I'm just about to pay for my 2 weeks gap training with challenger, and looking at what I have to do there is a lot of roofing aspects which I don't want to do as feel I am paying near on $900 for some thing I will not use over here in the plumbing and gas game. Do you know if you have to do your 2 weeks gap training at challenger for your licence or will polytechnic cover the same course to gain my licence?. I have found it quite hard to pick up work here with out a licence . Hopefully things will change soon. <br>All the best mate<br>scott. <br><br> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regan Posted March 2, 2014 Report Share Posted March 2, 2014 Hi Alex I moved over here 18months ago and had the exact same problems with challenger. I booked onto a migrant course with a start date of 4th jean, booked the time off work for two weeks and when I turned up, the Tafe was closed. I spoke to the admin staff there and they stated that all courses start on 4th February. I then showed them my paperwork with the start date and they responded with... Sorry it's just a typo error. I then lost two weeks work and had to rebook time off work. The migrant course is mostly a government money making scheme where any standard plumber that has done an apprenticeship could do with his eyes shut. I've now gone onto doing my contractors licence but sadly challenger was the only Tafe that done an intensive course so I had to go with them. I felt that the Australian tutors don't like English plumbers and do not like it if you give your experience or comment on something they are teaching. Thankfully now, I'm passed and never want to go back there. I carried out my gas conversion with MPA which were fantastic but sadly the tutor has moved on so they can't do the migrant gas conversion anymore. I can't comment on polytechnic but it seems that they are the better company. Good luck guys Regan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark.w Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 I took my cert 3 gas course at challenger in freo took three weeks full time and they were good .Took my gas servicing course at mpa in maylands six weeks of nights they to were very good.The government have withdrawn subsidising coarses so mpa do not do them anymore the new cost at challenger for migrant gap course isapprox $3000 used to be half that rip off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexw Posted March 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Hi Steven, as regard jobs its not what you know its who you know! Personally im having a bit of a nightmare on the job front! Immediately after my migrant course i got some subby work through someone i new from my daughters gymnastics club in the uk. Worked for them upto december when they took me on on the books and promoted me to leading hand. After that the business seemed to bestrugglingfinancially and was site worked which im not used to so started looking for something else. Got a job 2 weeks ago and after 4 days they said they had no work for me. At this point i had fell out with last company over money so carnt go back. I am now not having any joy finding anything but sure something will come up soon. We are living in Mandurah at the min but considering moving closer to perth as there is more work and we have to take my daughter up there for gym 5 times a week. Life is good here but without an income im not enjoying it as money goes quick here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexw Posted March 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Hi Skit, i know poly did the migrant course but wouldnt know now best to ring polytechnic balga and ask for wayne price he should be able to advise you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skit78 Posted March 4, 2014 Report Share Posted March 4, 2014 Hi Alex thanks for you reply. Hope things work out for you, the money goes quick here,did try to phone pollytechnics Monday but no joy as bank holiday I think. But will try again tomorrow. Best if luck, scott. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tandb Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 Hi Alex thanks for you reply. Hope things work out for you, the money goes quick here,did try to phone pollytechnics Monday but no joy as bank holiday I think. But will try again tomorrow. Best if luck, scott. Hi we r moving to perth July. Would be interested to kno if polytecnic do course now? I have e mailed just now they didn't do it end of last year when I asked but might change. Challenger are only ones as far as I know. I got a e mail from challenger this morning advising hubby's name is on wait list course for August course for his certificate 111. Would be interested to know how you get on and any advise please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tandb Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Hi Alex, I'm just about to pay for my 2 weeks gap training with challenger, and looking at what I have to do there is a lot of roofing aspects which I don't want to do as feel I am paying near on $900 for some thing I will not use over here in the plumbing and gas game. Do you know if you have to do your 2 weeks gap training at challenger for your licence or will polytechnic cover the same course to gain my licence?. I have found it quite hard to pick up work here with out a licence . Hopefully things will change soon. <br>All the best mate<br>scott. <br><br> Hi Had a reply from polytechnic college. They r starting to do gap training for plumbers in next few weeks!! No waiting about for dates they just let you start when you need to!! Great news for plumbers moving to perth!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven_gers Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Hi Alex, How are you getting on? Any luck getting a job yet? Regards Steven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexw Posted March 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 Hi Alex, How are you getting on? Any luck getting a job yet? Regards Steven Hi start work on thursday after nearly 5 weeks off! I have applied for hundreds of jobs, rang companys and dropped cvs off and nothing! Even after getting my gas license. Its hard to get someone to give you a go here. Luckily my brother in law managed to get me in at his place not plumbing though its on the high pressure team and is classed as a mine site so is reasonable money. Again its not what you know its who you know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skit78 Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 Hi all, well I started with a plumber to gain some skills of plumbing on Oz, which was good as I needed to see what things was like here, I have now started with a company for 1 week now and things look ok, got a van and most tools supplied and things are looking up for me. I was getting worried due to savings and getting knock backs or no replies from company's, but it takes time and you just have to keep going. Ok it's only been a week for me with this new company, time will tell. I'll keep you updated. Good luck to all, it is hard but don't give up as what was going through my mind. I hope this helps some plumbers out their. Scott. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven_gers Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 Alex, Scott, Well done Scott on getting a job i hope it works out well for you, maybe you can quickly get up the ladder and give me a job when i come over?? ha ha. Alex, sometimes having a job makes it easier to gain another job weirdly enough, hopefully you find something sooner rather than later, but at least you've got the beer tokens coming in though.. Keep me updated on how things are going as i wont be out in Perth till September, Well thats if i pass my medical next week, They might tell me i've only got half a heart, although people have been telling me that for years jokin ha ha Steven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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