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chadwarden
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    Thu Feb 21, 2013 7:36 am
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    Australia

Hey everyone. I'm an American citizen attending TAFE in Australia at the moment with the hopes of getting permanent residency. Unfortunately, the only welding course available to international students turns out to be a real shitty one and I need all the help I can get. I'd really appreciate it if all you Aussies out there can give me some good advice on not just welding but perhaps getting permanent residency as well. I love welding and I see my self welding in fab shops, pipelines and shipyards for at least 30 years.
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    Fri Apr 01, 2011 10:59 pm
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    Australia; Victoria

Hey,

I havent heard many US people trying to get residence here, I know of a Couple of Aussies trying to go the US. That was almost impossible. Start with one of the US embassy in your closest capital city . Are you on a tourist /holiday visa?

Mick
chadwarden
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I'm on a student visa and I don't think consulting an embassy is going to improve my chances of getting a permanent residency. I'd have to go through the immigration bureaucracy like everybody else.
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    Fri Apr 01, 2011 10:59 pm
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Hey,

Sorry, thats my radically simple thinking for ya. Kind of forget that the line is the same for everyone, regardless of Country origin.
Here are some links that may help:

https://www.acacia-au.com/studentspr20092207.php

This one mentions Metal Fabricator (Boilermaker) and Welder (First Class [someone who has done a 4 year apprenticeship])

http://www.impeloverseas.com/StudyAbroa ... dency.aspx

Hope they help, Mick
Alexa
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    Mon Dec 31, 2012 10:07 am

Chadwarden.

A welding course needs equipment, materials, instructors and students.
All four of the above are not always tops ... but we can still make progress.
Minimal is having a welding machine.
If the base materials and filler metals are scarce, bring your own.
If the instructor is skilled, then so much the better. If not, then the student will need to do more.

Take advantage of the facility and spend every minute you can welding.
Do the video and text studying on your own hours, in order to not waste arc time.

Alexa
chadwarden
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    Thu Feb 21, 2013 7:36 am
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I would have no complaints if I were allowed to bring in my own rods and start burning away. I've got issues with my TAFE course because they don't allow us to use our own rods... And this semester we're only welding 8 hours a week. From the start I have asked for more time at the booth and if I could come in during out of class hours. My headmaster got really angry with me for complaining too much. When I found out we were using 6013s, I bought my own 7018s and brought them to class. My teacher got very annoyed and my headmaster got really angry about that too. So seriously, what the hell am I supposed to do? I'm thinking about spending the money to set up my own stick welding bay in my backyard. You have know idea how frustrated I am. By the way, could you recommend me any stick welders for the common Australian household socket? Can any go up to 150 amps?
Last edited by chadwarden on Fri Apr 05, 2013 5:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Hey,

Its seems that you are in a rough patch. If this is your only option for a welding course, it.may have to do. Im sorry that it doesn't meet your expectations . It sounds like the teacher headmaster really dont like being told how to run their school, but Tafe can be a bit funny like that.

As for your welder we have 240 volt circuit in Australia so its not a problem in that respect. However if you have circuit breakers, some of them could be a bit light on. Trip out easily. I have an Everlast Power arc200. alot of the older AC buzz boxes seem to be 3 phase once you get to around 200 amps, no good for home.

Have you thought about asking a general engineering joint in your area if you can "rent" their facility for a fee? If you do that, be absolutely stern that you can do any production work or you will get booted out of the country.

Mick
Alexa
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    Mon Dec 31, 2012 10:07 am

Chadwarden.

Take advantage of the E6013 rods, you can learn a lot with that rod.

Learn to weld flat, vertical, horizontal and overhead; stringers and weaves; starts and stops; on flat stock and pipe; the various joints; fillet welds; groove welds; welding left and right handed; etc..

If you need more practice hours, go to a heavy equipment maintenance shop, and they will put to to hard surfacing.

Alexa
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You won't be "hard surfacing" with 6013s...
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Hard surfacing a plasic tonka truck . And they'll still boot you out of Aus.
:lol: :lol:
Mick
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