Aussie welding codes?

[Rrunnach]

I need at least some kind of recognition though, without it, i feel worthless, i left school as a stroppy 15 year old, didnt finish all my exams, didn't bother to collect my results, got myself stuck into a full time job for 7 years, didn't bother considering college or uni.. (virtually all my mates did that and not many even have jobs still)

Except for this VRQ qualification, i have nothing to my name except 6 years no claims on car insurance

I don't mind starting out on a low rate pay, thats how young lads start off (i'm 24) and moving up the ranks. I just don't want to be doing a skill-less job knowing i have some talent and ambition to weld rather than wash cars all day at a garage

I pass peeps daily heading to work washing cars, they seem to be more busy than a lot of local fab/weld shops, less overheads too......

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Its nice in the sunny weather when the breeze blows water mist from the pressure washer at you and cools you down, but when you have a boss who wants you to wash cars in thunder and lightning, ice and snow, the fun wears off quickly!

I did have an interest in being a mechanic, i do have some knowledge on vehicles, etc. but upon asking for some kind of apprenticeship, I got a complete shutdown 'nope'.

'We just need somebody to wash cars'. was his reply, A year later and 2 members of staff have left and their jobs have partially been added onto mine, sitting in MOT's and pushing the footbrake to bleed up brake systems, collecting cars from auctions and prcing them up etc on to of car washing, all for a measly £42 per day. Very reluctant to give anyone a pay rise to 'outsiders' (family run business) and a hard 'like it or lump it' attitude.

He knows i weld and had the cheek to say:

' you can weld a few cars for us when the lads are busy on the spanners'

Oh really? I replied, will you pay me extra for doing that?

Boss - Blank stare and doesnt reply...

 

[Robotstar5]

Are you getting the national minimum wage? - link

What about getting on the books of a local employment agency, we use agency workers for machine loader/operators. Those that show an interest/aptitude get taken on and some have gone on to be production welders (company pays for the course) you would end up with practical experience and recognised qualifications.

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Are you getting the national minimum wage? - link

What about getting on the books of a local employment agency, we use agency workers for machine loader/operators. Those that show an interest/aptitude get taken on and some have gone on to be production welders (company pays for the course) you would end up with practical experience and recognised qualifications.

Yeah, i'm on minimum wage, i haven't had any luck with employment agencies, because around my neck of the woods, priority is going to getting jobless people back into some for of work, so they don't want to know when you tell them that you are working.

 

[SiPMerlin150]

Updates on coding... new decision!

Hello guys, iafter much thinking, and reading all of your feedback comments and a little nagging from the missus, i have decided not to go ahead with the coding, just incase it turns out to be a waste of time/money.

Also because the missus has had me filling out visa paperwork to leave in march/may 2013....not long!

Initially, i was going to just go ahead and do a EAL level 2, and do courses in oz. (much,much cheaper there).

BUT... Just thought...I'm probably for now, get 2 british standard weld certifications, one in 10mm butt plate in the horizontal, and vertical butt.

These test and certs are only £150 each, rather than pay £1400 for something i might not use.. That way, if i can't go to Oz, i will continue here and upskill more...

Or when i get to Oz, i can show what i have and see what they need. I can always work odd jobs and pay for upskills whilst there if needed.

I'm 90% certain that i will be doing structural welding rather than pipe..

 

[backpurge]

If your not going till next year would advise you get a welding job here in the meantime to get experience production welding

 

[jonnyBMX]

its a tough world out there, at 20 years old I have quite an array of qaulifications, welding, electrical enginneering, mechanical enginnering, performing enginnering operations (using the lathes, mills, grinders etc etc..) but if i was to try and get a job rather then the apprenticeship im doing i would have found it near impossible! tbh for me the best way to go is on an apprenticeship in your desired field, if you want something enough you can get it! im really happy with my electrical enginneering apprenticeship and i like to keep my welding and machine work as a sideline

 

[backpurge]

its a tough world out there, at 20 years old I have quite an array of qaulifications, welding, electrical enginneering, mechanical enginnering, performing enginnering operations (using the lathes, mills, grinders etc etc..) but if i was to try and get a job rather then the apprenticeship im doing i would have found it near impossible! tbh for me the best way to go is on an apprenticeship in your desired field, if you want something enough you can get it! im really happy with my electrical enginneering apprenticeship and i like to keep my welding and machine work as a sideline

The job situation at the moment seems to be very regionalised, also depends on what quals you have

 

[Luna]

Updates on coding... new decision!

Hello guys, iafter much thinking, and reading all of your feedback comments and a little nagging from the missus, i have decided not to go ahead with the coding, just incase it turns out to be a waste of time/money.

Also because the missus has had me filling out visa paperwork to leave in march/may 2013....not long!

Initially, i was going to just go ahead and do a EAL level 2, and do courses in oz. (much,much cheaper there).

BUT... Just thought...I'm probably for now, get 2 british standard weld certifications, one in 10mm butt plate in the horizontal, and vertical butt.

These test and certs are only £150 each, rather than pay £1400 for something i might not use.. That way, if i can't go to Oz, i will continue here and upskill more...

Or when i get to Oz, i can show what i have and see what they need. I can always work odd jobs and pay for upskills whilst there if needed.

I'm 90% certain that i will be doing structural welding rather than pipe..

Hey..Just saw your post about Coding? -Could you please explain what this is?

And also you mentioned to get a certificate - EAL lev 2, and those tests costs 150 to 1400 ... I don't want to be a pain, but could you please elaborate?

My partner needs to get qualified a s welder and I am crazy looking for relevant courses. To study here in Australia its a bit too expensive for us.. so We are considering courses in the UK..

I appreciate your suggestions

Thanks

 

[Drains]

Luna, as this thread is a couple of years old you might have trouble getting direct answers from SIPmerlin.

Anyway though - codings are (more-or-less) where a welder takes a test welding a particular kind of metal of a particular thickness in a particular position. This will allow the welder to work to a slightly wider code than the specific test (so, in a range of materials, to a range of thicknesses and a range of positions).

In Aus/ NZ, the most common coding is
AS/NZS 2980:2007 Qualification of welders for fusion welding of steels.
This is designed for structural work.

Many employers would not require that at all though. Normally they are looking for ability. A piece of paper showing a successful course of study will be useful. On the whole though, welding jobs are easy to get and poorly paid. Well paid welders are specialists with apprenticeships, years of experience, specific skills and codings and lots of luck.

As for going to the UK to study, just the airfare will make that a bad proposition unless you happen to be going there anyway, and nobody will offer the AS/NZS 2980 assessment.

 

[Rig Pig]

For oilfield work the American 6g code seems to be universally accepted, check with potential employers to see what they want.