Hi everyone, I recently moved to C 1

[Ajolian]

Hi everyone,
I recently moved to Canberra from abroad as skilled migrant, i am a structural engineer with more than 10 yrs exp. but every time I apply for a job; mostly drafting ones available and for civil like roads, stormwater, and pluming drafting; they require local experience. i have been thinking to take a diploma or a course with cit for example to enhance my chances to find a job, does anybody have an idea which course to do?
appreciate your replies.

Best regards,
Jolian

 

[hokie66]

First, I don't know where you came from, but congratulations on negotiating the process of immigrating to Australia. Now it is up to you to make a success of it.

I don't have any advice on further study, but instead think you should look further afield than Canberra for work. Canberra is not exactly a centre known for structural design work.

 

[Ajolian]

Thank you for your reply hokie66, you are most probably right. I came from Egypt, and my major is steel structures. Although I had my qualifications and experience recognised by engineers Australia, but most jobs require local experience which is driving me insane. how will I gain local experience if no one give you a chance? this what made me think of further study.

 

[rapt]

This is always a hard one. A lot of engineers have emigrated to Australia over the last 10-20 years and have found the same problem. Unfortunately the people who plan the skilled immigration programs are probably about 10 years behind the actual industry requirements.

You specialise in an area which is the least common form of construction in Australia and especially somewhere like Canberra which is full of public servants and not much else, a bit like Washington DC in America, except no Pentagon to drive some funding.

Most residential, commercial, retail and office construction in Australia is concrete frame. And the only part actually growing at the moment is residential high rise which is all concrete frame and is predominately in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne and becoming over supplied so reaching a peak.

The areas that do a lot of structural steel in Australia would be mining and possibly manufacturing related, and they are in recession due to the fall in mining investment, so they are shedding engineers, not hiring. In most cases, design is finished, construction near completion and nothing new in the pipeline.

Unfortunately, there is no real advice I can give on finding something, other than keep asking, and be willing to accept anything to get into the system. Finding a course on application of the Australian codes might help, but an experienced engineer should be able to teach himself that anyway and most consultants would recognise that. Do any of your contacts or former employers in Egypt have connection with anyone in Australia? My son had exactly the same problem as a new graduate about 3 years ago.