Exasperated IT Person

[ShArK-NoW]

Hi All

I am realising that I will have a challenge regarding my skills assessment. I have a BA degree in Psychology and Criminology. From here I have ventured into IT. I have the normal stuff like MCSE NT4, VCP, ITIL foundation but no formal degree with a Major IT subject. I started with my career in 1998 as a normal server engineer and left IT as a technical leader for my team to venture into a private venture for two years. Here I remained responsible for all IT tasks but it was on a small scale. I was also responsible to reconcile the bank and cashbooks. I started with IT in 2004 again as a full time employed consultant and today I am the line manager for all the servers (1300+) across South Africa. I do currently work for a ICT company with a international footprint, but they do not have offices in Australia. My solid work experience is 6 years solid and close to 10 years including my other careers.

Most of my exposure was on servers, and more so on a Microsoft platform. I understand that if you have any degree that is not ICT related you need to complete the ACS RPL assessment and have 6 years experience. I have looked at the RPL route but must admit that my exposure does not nearly cover most of the 14 categories specified. Suddenly I feel like a unskilled person!!!

I am 38 currently and will be turning 39 next year. We would like to enter AU with a 136 Visa.

Any suggestions or help for a shark out of water?

Regards

Shark-Now

[Ajay]

Hi Shark-Now,

One of our other members, G72, also went through a thousand loops 'n hoops getting recognition of prior learning without a formal IT degree. He is on route to Australia and should be arriving sometime in Jan. I know him personally, so if you like, I can ask him to contact you to tell you what he did?

The other option you can consider is trying to find a sponsor and coming in on a 457 instead? A degree isn't required in these instances - just proof of experience.

Hope it works out!

Ajay

[jaxmvr]

Hi there

I have completed my ACS RPL and you have all my sympathy. I just want to point out that you actually need 8 years experience as they deduct two years for your degree and then they still want 6 years experience. I had 7 years experience when I submitted my RPL and they have approved it general, but could not give me a possitive assessment. I had to wait another year, supply prove and then they send a possitive letter. But as you started in 1998 it should not be a problem.

The biggest thing with RPL is to get organised. Go and list all your projects that you had (even the smaller ones as this also prove that you can work with a diverse client base) Once you have done that you need to decide to which category it belongs, for example auditing, networks, software implementation etc etc.

I think it may be better if you email me directly on ja.xm@hotmail.com. Tell me a little bit more about projects. If I can give you an example - I had to audit the existing access control policy for the company and re-implement a whole new procedure. Two knowledge basis already covered in one project.

I guarantee that If you just sit down and organize yourself a bit, it will be ok. Hard work, yes but definately possible.

I am in meetings all day, but will respond to your email on Sunday.

[timbo]

Hi.

if you have a transcript of your mcse or can get one, that with a geniune 6 yrs as an it professional will qualify under cat B.

cheers

[starfish]

Hi Shark-Now

I had a similar situation - I'm qualified in Electrical Engineering, but switched to IT about 7 years ago. Some of my Elec Eng experience was IT-related, and that's how I made up the required 8 years.

I worked through a migration agent, and they told me exactly what documents were required, the required formats etc. It was quite a bit of running around, obtaining letters from current and previous superiors, writing up reports, projects etc but it is definitely do-able. My RPL came through from ACS about 2 months after submitting.

If you need any further assistance, PM me.