Air Conditioning Licence Requirement, WA

[Deon42]

Hi All

Has anyone out there been stuck in this position?

I have a PR visa and permanent employment in Perth. When I started working I applied for my restricted electrical licence and Arctick licence. I did a Vetassess paper based and practical examination in South Africa for the bargain price of AU$1600.00 and was issued an OTSR (Offshore Technical Skills Record) for a Certificate 3 in Engineering- Mechanical Trade (Refrigeration and Air-conditioning).

Problem #1 ARC said I must submit an OTSR Certificate (not just the OTSR paper stating that THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT....) to get my full ARCTICK licence.

I Phoned Vetassess and they said they dont issue OTSR certificates and I need gap training first.

Phoned TAFE and they said I should do four more modules to get certified.

Problem #2 The WA Department of Energy Safety will only issue my restricted licence if I pass certain modules at Tafe (all of them have the same names as the Vetassess modules that I have been tested on already - just different numbers).

So effectively I cannot work in my trade without supervision until I have done these modules!

Any advice would be welcomed.

Regards

Deon

Edited April 25, 2012 by Deon42

[SonjaO]

Hi Deon,

My sincere sympathy, we've been there. My husband had to go through the whole process too.

And sorry to say, but you have to do the TAFE modules. You'll probably receive your Cert III and IV, which is wat Arc and Energy require.

The reason is that your Vetassess didn't test any local knowledge - Ie local laws governing electrical installation, safe handling etc. When you complete these modules at TAFE they ensure that you localise what you already know.

When my husband did his Vetassess they had a letter saying that you can apply for the required paperwork based on the off-shore assessment and don't have to do further training, but since then it changed and we landed where you are now.

When you go to Tafe you will most probably meet one of the Vetassess assessors that you had in SA - kind of ironic isn't it?

If you need anything else - PM me.

Good luck!

[Deon42]

Thanks SonjaO.

As a matter of interest and for the benefit of any other fridgies who may see this topic - how long did these modules take your husband to do and what was the cost?

Rgds

Deon

[SonjaO]

Hi Deon,

Sorry for the delayed reply. We were in SA for a visit.

I honestly can't remember what the total amount was. I have a payment of R6,700 for TAFE in March 2011, which is when he registered for the additional modules. I guess around $900.

He had to do two(?) modules for his limited electrical license (can't find the amount for those), but got credit for those when he registered for the additional modules.

As for time, it took him +/-6 months, but that was because he was working and didn't have any time spare to study. He had to submit a "research project" - basically answer lots of questions from the Australian Standards - and complete several online tests. When everything was completed he had to do a practical exam. He did a separate practical for the electric license.

If you like, I can give you the contact details of the guy we dealt with? He was really helpful, and after a long struggle, he now knows what is expected.

Regards

Sonja