South Africans being Australian apprentices

[Bob]

My son, Bobby, did a couple of years at Uni and dropped out. Academically, he was a total failure, not applying himself. He's got the brains but not the motivation.

However, since October, he's been doing a motor mechanic apprenticeship at one of the car dealerships in a country town half an hour's drive east of us here in the Adelaide Hills.

He absolutely loves it.

The Trade Training group doing bobby's apprenticeship want to put him in for Apprentice of the Year for South Australia. . . . . . should go well in his work record!

The people in the trade need mechanics, as South Australia is experiencing one of the State's biggest mining booms in the past 100 years.

South Australia . . . . and other Australian States . . . will need mechanics, fitters, welders, plumbers, electricians, carpenters . . . . you name it!

Australia cannot keep up with demand. We've just discovered 40% of the world's recoverable uranium and other minerals in the north of South Australia, yet there isn't the workforce to cope with it. China has placed a massive order for uranium so they can build 33 new power stations . . . and India isn't far behind.

Australia needs apprentices to be part of Australia's workforce in years to come.

Bobby has been told that working in the north of the State more or less means he can name his own salary on working up there once qualified, earning in excess of $100,000 a year (R450,000)

He will always be able to find work in his working life.

Now . . . . . the Australian gov't has opened up the gates to young South Africans and British folk to come to Australia, secure an employer willing to nominate him / her for an apprenticeship, and work here permanently.

Any young South African interested???

Any young person interested in living and working in Australia and earning BIG money if they want???

Edited April 6, 2006 by Bob

[Riekie]

Bob, there is a young guy in RSA who would do almost anything to get to Australia!

He is a web designer but does not have the qualifications to get to Aus on his experience

only. I'm sure he would be VERY interested!! We've been chatting on msn for months now,

and he seems like a very nice person (not a chancer). Can you tell a bit more on how/where

if he is interested? (I'll tell him about your post as well).

[Etienne]

Hi Bob, Riekie is talking about me. You sent me the yellow pages etc. but I never got any response from any of the companies I mailed. As you know I am the only webmaster of a one of the top car rental companies who only advertise via the web, but it doesn’t seem to attract anyone.

Is it possible that there is something similar to what I do and be able to apply for that VISA? If not can one come over without any qualifications and start over from there?

If something is possible, can you send me as much info about it as possible so Wilna and I can study it and see if we might be able to immigrate to Australia?

Thanks for all your help so far.

Regards

[Cindylou]

Hi Etienne

Take a look at the immigration website, click here, as there is loads of information about eligibility and occupations covered.

Good Luck!

Cindylou

[Bob]

Etienne!

I've been wondering how you were going and if you'd had any luck with that list of companies I sent.

This visa is for "regional" Australia. Fortunately, the whole of South Australia, including the capital city of Adelaide with a population of 1.1 million people, is classified as "regional" under Australia's migration rules.

The South Australian gov't puts up a list of occupations that are needed to be filled. They vary from time to time, but some are long-standing occupations that are there month after month, year after year. Others are only in demand for a while.

If there are any occupations that you have the qualifications for, then let me know. I'll follow this up further.

Also, I'll PM you with further information.

good luck,

Bob

[Pippa]

Hi Bob,

Thank you for the great and inspirational posting! I think that Vossie might be interested and will forward your posting to him and Elmarie.

Please keep us informed by posting as much information possible.

Keep well!

Pippa

[Bob]

Pippa!

I wondered if you might think of any South African family that you know that's got a son or daughter that might be interested.

I hear a bit of how Afrikaners still hang on to their dream of an Afrikaner nation where they can live and give other people a hard time who want to come to Australia, so it may be a delicate thing to pass along. However, at the present situation, Afrikaners will only ever be a minority among a nation of black folk who discriminate against them for gov't jobs, in business, etc.

Afrikaners will always be a minority in whatever part of the world they settle . . . . . unfortunately, that seems to be their lot in life . . . . but in Australia there will be NO discrimination against them for gov't jobs, they can feel a VALUED part of a township or suburb's community, and can go as FAR as any other person in busines.

Australia is giving young South Africans, who have the potential, the choice.

[Guest Seoul Sister]

HI Bob,

Thanks so much for the interesting posting on this. I had no idea ! My cousin is a final year student in IT (I am not sure what he has decided to specialize in this year) in South Africa and has been told to prepare himself for an uphill battle to find a suitable job once he has completed his studies. I have seen on the site that Cindylou mentioned that there are many ICTers needed. Could you please tell me if there is a website where we can go look for for information specificially for South Australia ? And whom we can contact for more information on the type of visa, requirements ,etc for this kind of apprenticeship ?

Thank you in advance

SS

[alsgal]

Hi Bob,

I have been trying to get our son into Australia on the trade skills training visa since it was introduced. Unfortunately it has so far proven an impossible task as most employers want someone that is already there.

Our immigration application is being dealt with at the moment but if we could secure a work visa for our son in the meantime we would do that. He is 18 and is presently sitting at home doing nothing (cannot attend college etc in Saudi Arabia). He is very keen to do an apprenticeship as a carpenter/joiner and has already tried his hand at some of it (with his uncle who is qualified) and loves the work.

If you have any details of companies looking to offer apprenticeships please let me know so that we can follow up.

Thanks very much for the great post.

Cheers,

Paula

[Riekie]

Will your 18 year old son be included in your Visa?

[alsgal]

Will your 18 year old son be included in your Visa?

Hi Riekie,

Yes he is included as he is completely dependent on us and is neither at school nor working.

[Riekie]

I was just getting this ice cold feeling when I read you had an 18 year old and you're battling to get him an apprenticeship in Aus, and me thinking that his visa would be dependant on that. (Our son was 18 when we came to Aus and we also had the fear that he would not be allowed on our visa. We had to prove he was dependant on us and we were very stressed should it be declined). So, I'm very relieved that he would join you when you come to Aus!

[alsgal]

I was just getting this ice cold feeling when I read you had an 18 year old and you're battling to get him an apprenticeship in Aus, and me thinking that his visa would be dependant on that. (Our son was 18 when we came to Aus and we also had the fear that he would not be allowed on our visa. We had to prove he was dependant on us and we were very stressed should it be declined). So, I'm very relieved that he would join you when you come to Aus!

No his going to AUS is not dependent on getting the apprenticeship - I am just fed up watching him sitting at home wasting away when he could be learning a trade and getting on with his life.

He really has nothing to do over here and there are not many kids his age where we live so it makes it even harder for him and naturally for us seeing this going on.

Paula

[Vossie]

Hi Bob

I am not so young any more and have qualified as a fitter in 1991. Would they have something for me? I will be coming to Aus from 20-27 April, please keep me informed.

Thanks

Vossie

[Bob]

Vossie,

You don't need to do an apprenticeship if you are a qualified fitter. That would allow you applying for an independent skilled visa, from my understanding.

Check it out and get back to us all if you have any hiccups.

If you're tired of the fitter industry, you can always apply for an adult apprenticeship like any other Australian, once you're here permanently, but the income is not much in the first year or two, as an apprentice, because they're are unskilled and pretty useless at first from what tradesmen tell me. Once a person is shown and tries the techique a few times, they become competent at the task, but not beforehand usually.

Edited April 12, 2006 by Bob

[Willie]

I was just getting this ice cold feeling when I read you had an 18 year old and you're battling to get him an apprenticeship in Aus, and me thinking that his visa would be dependant on that. (Our son was 18 when we came to Aus and we also had the fear that he would not be allowed on our visa. We had to prove he was dependant on us and we were very stressed should it be declined). So, I'm very relieved that he would join you when you come to Aus!

Please tell me how you went about proofing this I have that exact problem now and except for an avidavid I do not have a clue as to what els to give them as proof? Your help will be appresiated.

Thanks

Willie

[alsgal]

Please tell me how you went about proofing this I have that exact problem now and except for an avidavid I do not have a clue as to what els to give them as proof? Your help will be appresiated.

Thanks

Willie

Hi Willie,

Sorry it has taken so long to respond but I only just came across your post.

It was very easy for us to prove our son being dependant on us because of where we are living at the moment. If you give me some details of your circumstances (are they at college / uni, do they work, are they living at home etc etc) as regards your child I can tell you what you should do to make it easier

Either post the details here of if you prefer you can pm or email me at alsgal1@gmail.com to discuss this further.

Regards,

Paula