Hello...Advice Please

[Scott and Lucy]

Hi, thought we'd introduce ourselves as we've been floating around the forum for some time now and really need to start making our dreams a reality. We're hoping to get in on an 189 visa through Scott's trade of plastering. I work as a part time administrator and we live in Yorkshire. We have two little girls aged 3 & 16 months who are the main reason for wanting to better our lives.

We have travelled Australia extensively twice before we had the children so feel we know what to expect!!!

We have an agent and are just about to start the very daunting thought of filling out Scott's TRA Skill Assessment. We're unsure where to start with the Skills Assessment as Scott is self employed and it looks like lots of information is required. We welcome any tips and advice on this please.

Also it looks like jobs are very difficult to come by at the moment can anyone reassure us on that front?

TIA

Lucy & Scott

[Guest matt n mel]

Hi there, I can't really give any info about the likelihood of plastering work in SA, but just wanted to say welcome to the forum. People will be along shortly to give you some advice I imagine. My partner is also self employed, and we had to through the TRA assessment, which was pretty long winded (and daunting as I remember, as they do seem to need a lot of info!). It's good that you have an agent- have they given you any template letters, for his customers/suppliers etc? We found these a big help as Matt was able to just fill in his specifics and then just get his custs/suppliers to sign and send back. The other hesitation we had in approaching all his customers was putting them off trading with him, in case they all expected him to just up and leave and it's a good 2 year process, and it's his livelihood. In the end he just approached them individually and explained it was something he was looking at in the next few years, but nothing was set in stone. Just needed to see if he could get in first, and then take it from there. Anyway, good luck, Mel

[Prema]

Hi Lucy and Scott,

 

Great to see you on this forum. It's a great place for support and advice.

 

Times are getting harder here and over the last 4 years I have seen many changes... But if you are prepared to get out of your comfort zone and work hard, you can make it work. Take one step at a time. First sort out the TRA assessment, and go from there.

Here working for yourself, take time and the golden word of mouth, pretty much every business is run this way.

We came out here as managers (retail and admin), but there is not much work in that field. You do tend to move along as well, and not by your choice.

We now totally work for ourselves, and its hard work but we get by. Moving here was the best decision that we made. It's a great place to raise children. I wouldn't look back not ever.

Prema

[Pmckin14]

Hi Scott & Lucy

 

I have just sent you a PM for what my partner Charlie sent for his TRA skills assesment in solid plastering, he has been self employed for most of his working life so hopefully that can be a guide to help you. We received a positive skills assessment first time round. We have submitted visa application in January and are hoping to hear in the next few weeks, like you we are a bit nervous about the work situation!!

 

Paula & Charlie

[Kerriandcarl]

Hi Scott and lucy

we are in the same position we are hoping to come over on a 189 visa and my partner is a self employed carpenter. We have just been sent through the information from our agent about the skilled assessment and we can't believe how much information we have to get together, it looks a huge job. We are also from Yorkshire and have a 5 year old. I have never filled in so much information and this is just that start of it. Any advice you get then please pass my way. Many thanks - kerri and Carl x

[Guest Olly1060]

Hi

We came from Bradford 10yrs ago and I am a plasterer or solid plasterer as I am called over here.It is quite a bit different from the uk,I was self employed from a young age but I had to work for someone for 9months when I arrived.Now I am rendering and texture coating for one one of Adelaide's best builders working for myself.Work has really picked up again now.Depending on when you are coming I may be able to help you out with work.Just contact me on here if you need any help and good luck with the move.

[Pmckin14]

Hi Olly

 

My partner Charles and I will arrive on the 19th January. Although were from NI he is currently working on sites in Scotland & England and coming home every 2nd weekend due to the lack of work here. We have been hearing lots of bad reports on employment in South Australia so good to here you think things, hes a 36 year old fully qualified solid plasterer. Do you think there is much work at the end of Jan. He was thinking of volunteering for someone for a week or 2 to try to pick up the way its done over there and also to get an australian reference.

[Pmckin14]

Also if you don't mind, could you tell us a little bit about plastering over there and the main differences we will find?

[Guest Olly1060]

Pity you are not here now as A lad I took on as an apprentice 9yrs ago is about to leave me and start working for himself.But if I have nothing available In January I will certainly help out by giving advice.The way work is looking though I should be able to help out with work.Love the lifestyle here and the fact that 95% of my work is outdoors.The work mainly is on the outside rendering and texture coating takes a bit of getting used to search medallion homes.com.au on Google to see the type of work we do.Hope this helps.

Edited August 20, 2014 by Olly1060

[Pmckin14]

Thanks Olly we will take a look. The main reason we were waiting to go out was we were a bit worried about the job situation so wanted to get a bit more money saved up. However if you were willing to give him a try we could get out early September, have you much work on then? Where abouts are you based at?

[Pmckin14]

Well actually my partner has reigned me in and thinks we have too much to sort to go out until Jan, But if you have anything at end of Jan we would love to be given the opportunity. Also are tools expensive over there or would you recommend bringing his own?

 

Thanks

[Guest Olly1060]

That sounds good,I have plenty of work at the moment till well after Christmas .The other lad is leaving me in the middle of September ,I have been looking for somebody for about 2wks now.I had another lad on from London who worked with me for about 18 months before going on his own.If you decide to come let me know and I will keep a job open.

[Guest Olly1060]

Sorry I am a one finger typer,Contact me in January and I will definatly help out,can't say whether or not I will be busy then but the way it is looking I should be.Tools are quite expensive over here so I would bring what you can.you need quite a lot of different tools here I carry about 30 different straight edges but don't be daunted by it if you are good on the tools you will be ok

[Pmckin14]

Thanks olly, yeh I think it's best to wait till jan he's lots of work here at the minute so it will give us a bit of time to get sorted and get his tools shipped over!! Will give u a shout in jan but even if you don't have work thanks for the advice

[Guest Olly1060]

Ok ,that's fine just give me a bit of notice before you arrive and I will see what I can do.

[Guest Olly1060]

Sorry I didn't tell you much about work out here. Outside work is done with one coat sand and cement which is ruled off and floated to a flat finish (the sand here is some of the best sand I have used) straight edges are pinned on all corners with Dutch pins before we start. Some upper levels are done with polystyrene panels which are two coat polymer and acrylic rendered. Another material is blue board which is beaded and polymer rendered then all areas are texture coated and rubbed over with plastic float. That is basically the outside work. Inside sometimes we do what is called render and white set so walls are rendered with sand and cement and then the white finish plaster is mixed with lime and spread on like in the UK with two coats and troweled off. Most of the insides are just gyprock with flushed joints which is done by different companies. The render and white set we may only get one job a year, this is not very common anymore. Oh we are in the Stirling area in the Adelaide Hills which is about 25 minutes to the city. Most of my work is in the Eastern suburbs which are only about 20 minutes from my home. Hope this helps. Cheers, Keith

[Pmckin14]

Hi keith, Charlie here, thanks for that doesn't sound too much different than here then so hopefully shouldn't take me too long picking it up once I get there! We haven't decided on were to live yet, going to get a short term rental for the first few weeks and hopefully if we get work we will relocate near the work! Going to do my white card and get a van as soon as I arrive to increase my chances, but hopefully you still have plenty of work on would be great to meet! I'll give you a shout after Xmas!

 

thanks

[Guest Olly1060]

Hi Charlie,sounds good if you need any more advice just let me know and when you get here give me a call on 0410150197.

Good luck with everything it's worth it.