# Would you hire him?



## Hughesie (Oct 8, 2007)

17yr old sound engineer

_Qualifications_
Diploma of live theatre

_Experience
_5 years of semi pro sound work

would you hire him?

purely hyperthetical


----------



## soundlight (Oct 9, 2007)

What kinda "Diploma of Live Theatre"?


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 9, 2007)

this one

http://www.bhtafe.edu.au/Courses/VTE55.htm


----------



## avkid (Oct 9, 2007)

I'd hire almost anyone.
You can wrap cables, correct?


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 9, 2007)

yeah i can but NY is a long way away from me

bugger


----------



## Logos (Oct 9, 2007)

Hey You've got a better qualification than I have. And I'm 56. I've only got Cert 4.

OK so that ignores nearly 40 years practical experience Oh and my Degree in Educational Theatre, never mind.


----------



## Van (Oct 9, 2007)

I'd rather have a kid with those qualifications, and a good work ethic, than 3 guys with Masters degrees who think they know it all.


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 9, 2007)

Logos said:


> Hey You've got a better qualification than I have. And I'm 56. I've only got Cert 4.
> 
> OK so that ignores nearly 40 years practical experience Oh and my Degree in Educational Theatre, never mind.



i'd hire him, but that's because i am this person

well i will be this person, in one or two years.
i just wanted to know if it meant anything to have a qualification

i think it's easier to say that "i have 6 years of experiance and not being able to prove it "


----------



## gafftaper (Oct 9, 2007)

Hughesie, 
We've been debating creating some sort of technical certification program. The problem is that it doesn't guarantee you anything. I think you are just as likely to get hired with the degree as without. As Phil said... can you coil a cable? Odds are you are going to get a pretty basic job no matter what and from there you have to prove yourself. 

Gaff's rule... There are three factors that go into getting you a good tech job: hard work, education, and who you know/luck. The more education you have the less hard work and luck you need to get a job. However, the more experience you have, the more people you know and opportunities it creates (luck), and the education becomes unimportant. I've talked to professionals in several of the biggest theaters in town. Some have degrees some don't. If you want to be a top designer or get a job at a manufacturer... you should pursue all the education you can. If you just want to work on the road for a while then get a cool gig at a big house in town... it's far less important than hard work and who you know. 

The T.D. in one of the biggest theaters in the region started as a summer stock temporary carpenter with no degree. He impressed them and got a job full time, he worked about 10 years gaining the respect of everyone on the staff, along the way he took a couple of management classes. When the position opened he got the job. No degree. There's a lot of hard work, who you know, and luck involved in his path to that job but education would not have helped him. Clearly many people applied for that job with big degrees. But the inside guy who worked hard got the job. 

A little over a year ago I heard that one of the largest community theaters in the area was looking for tech help. A former student of mine was looking to take his tech career more seriously. I put in a phone call saying, "Hi, you don't know me but ____ (who works for the theater) and ____ (who he knows ) are good friends of mine so you can check my credentials. ____ told me you are looking for tech help. A former student of mine is looking for some work. He's a skilled sound technician and has a very brilliant mind. He's interested in expanding his world into lighting and S.M. work as well. He knows what he's doing in those areas but has little experience. If your interested give him a call." My former student is now making $16,000 a year at a part time Production Manager. He's not making a lot yet, but he's 20 years old, has no degree, and that's enough of a base that he can survive making a few hundred or so working on shows at night. A few years in this position and he'll be able to turn it into a real production manager job. That's how it's done. No degree... just who you know and the luck of one phone call. 

I work at a college and I always encourage education. It's good for your mind. I go every summer and take some classes to expand my knowledge. But in the case of technical theater, it isn't your golden ticket to success. I like the idea of a certification program because it's short and less expensive than a full degree program. It says you know all the basics now get out there and do it. I think if I was getting a masters degree in theater I would be pretty disappointed to get out there and find out just how many people have no theater degree at all. Oh yeah... I have a Bachelors Degree in History and a Masters degree in Education... yep I'm a college T.D. with no theater degree. Been running sound since 5th grade (that's... crap 26 years) started lights and sets in 9th grade. Spent a bunch of years volunteering in college hanging out with an old T.D. who knew everything. Got a job as a high school drama teacher and from there I've made the transition to college. I've recently added 15 graduate level credits in tech theater classes to my transcript... but no degree in theater at all.

One more thing... there's got to be somewhere you can volunteer. What about summer stock. Summer children's theater programs. Go to the nearest theater type place and say "Hi I want to work for you, I'll do whatever you want for free. Can I coil cable? Get you your coffee? Got a floor to sweep? A wall to paint? Screws to sort?" If you are a hard worker and you are good, all you need is a foot in the door. If they like you you'll find all kinds of opportunities.


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 9, 2007)

you make a very fair point there gaff, altough i feel that i could just find work, i reckon it is still better to have a qualification, don't feel that i didn't read and take in what you said, trust me every piece of advice helps. but you have remember that it's not the great US down here, it's australia and im sure when logos returns to this post he will agree with me, so will phantomd if he comes back. australia despite having a lot of courses most end with students go into dj'ing or club work. altough i say this, i know that once i get some more contacts there is work, starting out is the hardest part if you google melbourne theatres you will find a lot of them. also i have connection to sound company that i have worked with a lot and the head of the company is ex student of my school and at the beginning of the year i asked him a similar question to the one i am asking you kind people, so i do have that contact. the only thing stopping from working there currently is the fact im lacking in transport, untill next year i can not get from gig to gig (im 17, and i need to be 18 for a solo propabtioners licence) otherwise i would be throwing myself into the field.


----------



## Logos (Oct 9, 2007)

I think I've already told you this before but if you were in Adelaide I would have some (not a lot I'm a very small business) work for you. I like your exoressed attitude and your approach. I know the qualification (I teach to Cert 4 level) and its a good one.
You need to be prepared to work hard and build networks. 
Gafftaper has already said everything else.

And Van, I agree with you. Give me a Hughsie or a Charc anytime over some overeducated know it all. My qualifications have all come late in life when people started asking "But what qualifications do you have?" and I decided to get some. I needed them to teach in this country anyway and I wanted to.

And Hughsie is right, unless you have been around for a long time paper is important in Aus. At my age with my experience the question I am most often asked is still "But what sort of qualification do you have?"


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 9, 2007)

Logos said:


> And Hughsie is right



oh that feels really good 

and logos if i could get there i would 

experiance is important and i am trying to get work, i will talk to my theatre tech teacher (theatre manager) who was a truss spot operator in......adelade...wow hey logos i will pm you his name and see if you know him, he grew up their and worked there for a lot of his time before moving to melbourne


----------



## len (Oct 9, 2007)

Not until he/she is 21.


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 9, 2007)

yep but probationers is ok


----------



## gafftaper (Oct 9, 2007)

Looking back on it I don't think I concluded my message well... so take two...

Education is good. It's also expensive and may not be your golden ticket to a career. Hard work right now can be just as effective of a way of getting a career. What do I recommend to my students? Get some good basic training and then start working. If you feel the need to continue on from there and get more education GREAT. It's never bad to know things. Just understand the reality of the market and don't believe you are guaranteed a better job because you get a Masters degree. For some that basic training is in High school, for some it might be a certification program, for some it might be volunteering at a theater working at the side of an old pro, for some it's a college degree, and for our lucky young friend at "all things theater" it's in the family business. 

So for your case... IF that certification program is well known and respected in Melbourne it sounds like a good way to get that basic education. If the program is known and respected in Melbourne is a critical point to this whole discussion that none of us can answer. Do you have any connections that you could call and say, "Is this program something people know about and respect in the industry?" No matter what as soon as you are legal to drive I would be out there trying to get a job coiling cable, making coffee, sweeping a shop, or sorting screws... anything to get your foot in the door.


----------



## Logos (Oct 9, 2007)

The course that Hughsie is talking about is well known and respected all over Australia. It is a national qualification taught to a verifiable standard and is true vocational training largely hands on. I teach to the level below (Cert 4) in Adelaide and before anyone says anything derogatory the Diploma course is not offered in Adelaide.
As it is only a one year course which is notionally full time you should do it Hughsie. You will find that there is time for you to work part time in the industry and the lecturers on that course should be current working professionals giving you the opportunity to network in the industry.


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 9, 2007)

firstly i would like to say thank you for all the help you have been giving me, it makes a daunting task seem much easier when you speak to people in the field you are trying to get into. i would also like state my dream, i know it's way out but everyone must have something to work for. my dream is to work sound of cirque du soleil in Las Vegas currently it's a fair away dream but i like to aim high, i see each stage (like getting a qualification) as a one small step closer to that


----------



## Logos (Oct 10, 2007)

Don't forget that Cirque have a base in Aus and regularly employ here. Then you impress the hell out of everyone and apply for a transfer.


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 10, 2007)

simple dreams......


----------



## Pie4Weebl (Oct 13, 2007)

Hughesie89 said:


> firstly i would like to say thank you for all the help you have been giving me, it makes a daunting task seem much easier when you speak to people in the field you are trying to get into. i would also like state my dream, i know it's way out but everyone must have something to work for. my dream is to work sound of cirque du soleil in Las Vegas currently it's a fair away dream but i like to aim high, i see each stage (like getting a qualification) as a one small step closer to that



A handful of people who I go to school with are all out of vegas and its not all its cracked up to be from what they say. Consider that a show can run 10 years, could you image doing the same show for that long, it would become a job like any other and it turns a lot of people into "lifetime spot-ops" and crotechty old IA guys afraid of new tech.

But of coarse that's all second hand.


----------



## gafftaper (Oct 13, 2007)

Derek told me a while back that he used to work on one of the free shows that runs 4 or 5 times a night on the Vegas Strip. Apparently it gets old after a few years... who would have thought. 

On the other hand if you stick with it and work your way up, you might get to work somewhere like his current position. Every week he gets to work with some of the top names in entertainment and talk about variety the schedule is always changing: Music, Comedy, Magic, Sports... that's a pretty cool gig. Although I'm sure there were a lot of years of pain getting there.


----------



## Logos (Oct 13, 2007)

Talking about long runs. I used to know a couple of guys who worked on "The Mousetrap" in London. That has been running for nearly 50 years. Frightening isn't it.


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 14, 2007)

actually it really is, i take it that got bored of it

and think of the cast, i know nothing about the production or the show but............assuming it's like most

"think of the nice 20yr girl who started playing the role and is now much older than she should be"


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 15, 2007)

the question is now, would you hire me

WITH MY NEW GREAT TAG LINE, check it 
i came up with it myself, although it's true. it's not the 70's i got the idea after reading a CX magazine about the editor who would lose part of his crew because their car (or pickup) drove off the road killing them. now im not looking for stories about crew nightmares i just want you to bask in my greatness....... i wish


----------



## David Ashton (Oct 15, 2007)

There are 2 worlds out there, one is the state, government, academic world where having a qualification will help get you in and climb the bureaucratic ladder.The other is the commercial world where ability to do the job is the only criteria.The ability to stick out a 3 year course and pass the tests does not often translate into a good worker.In practice you are only going to learn on the job with long days and nights under extreme pressure, long travel times,temperamental actors and directors and pedantic venue management are a real test which combined with real hard physical work will mean that only a small percentage carry on in the business.The lighting designer who just turns up to plot the show is for the big shows, the reality of most tours is that you are the truck driver, rigger, focuser, plotter, set builder and babysitter{actors} Now being a masochist I love the challenge, but it is not for most people, especially family people.


----------



## derekleffew (Oct 16, 2007)

Hughesie89, if you get yourself to Las Vegas with the proper documentation and work visas, etc., I will guarantee you an interview with the right people at Cirque du Soleil, Permanent Shows Division, Las Vegas. Sorry, offer not valid in all fifty states. Kids, get your parent's permission before calling. All items subject to prior sale. On Approved Credit. Cash value 1/20 of 1¢. Some of our contestants today will receive Rice-A-Roni, the San Francisco treat.


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 16, 2007)

why do i get the feeling your taking to mickey out of me

"it would be nice, but american work visa's don't magicly appear"


----------



## Pie4Weebl (Oct 16, 2007)

derek, could you hook me up with a box or rice-a-roni?


----------



## gafftaper (Oct 16, 2007)

ME TOO ME TOO!! I like Rice Pilaf!

Hey I've got it!

SteveTerry and Kelite forget the Apollo gum, EOS coffee mugs, and all the other swag you've seen at the trade shows... imagine ETC-a-Roni! No? What about Apollo Ramen?


----------



## Raktor (Oct 17, 2007)

I know someone who's going off in a few weeks to do sound for one of Cirque du Soleil's new shows that they're opening in Macau. His mate is also going to be a followspot operator. They're both 20ish, and I can say from talking to them that education hasn't been the main deciding factor for their employment, but experience. It's all about who you know and what you can do, not so much what theory you've sat and learned in a classroom.

Obviously you want people to have learned some basic first aid, OH&S, a bit of the theory behind how all the gear they're using works; but at the end of the day it's going to be about how many shows you've worked on and the reputation and skillset you've built up from that.


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 17, 2007)

yeah true but a certifcication puts you ahead of a lot of other people on paper, expriance can't be verfied


----------



## avkid (Oct 17, 2007)

Hughesie89 said:


> experience can't be verified


Horse hockey.
That's what references are for.


----------



## gafftaper (Oct 17, 2007)

avkid said:


> Horse hockey.
> That's what references are for.



A good reference from the right person to an "old friend" is going to get you the job every time. Like I posted a recently. I've got a former student who is now making decent money as a production manager, because I called someone and said, "you should hire this guy". He never applied for the job, he got no training to prepare him for the job other than what I taught him in high school. The only reason he has that job today is he was a hard worker and I made a phone call to help him out. That kind of thing happens EVERY DAY in this industry. 

I bet 75% of the people who get hired in this industry in the end got the job because of a reference from a known acquaintance of the person doing the hiring or they get promoted from within because of their hard work at the theater. You are only going to get a job from a blind application if there is no one in house who can do the job and no one with a respected reference applies. 

Again, getting certified is a great idea because it teaches you all the basic skills. I like that idea. But it's not your golden ticket to getting a job over someone who is working building experience and a reputation. SO, the smart person (like you) would work on getting certified AND do all the tech work they can at the same time, paid or not.


----------



## Logos (Oct 17, 2007)

I wasn't sure where you were going with that one but I agree with the final sentence. Get the certificate but also do the ground work, get the experience and do the networking. If you blag your way in with the gift of the gab only you will be found out eventually but if the base is there you will survive,


----------



## David Ashton (Oct 18, 2007)

There are some other skills which can give you an edge, for example a riggers ticket, a forklift ticket and basic plug fitting/testing tickets and elevated work platform ticket or the equivalent will make you so much more useful than a graduate in theatre arts.And if it gets you in you have the chance to move through the ranks if you're any good.


----------



## gafftaper (Oct 18, 2007)

allthingstheatre said:


> There are some other skills which can give you an edge, for example a riggers ticket, a forklift ticket and basic plug fitting/testing tickets and elevated work platform ticket or the equivalent will make you so much more useful than a graduate in theatre arts.And if it gets you in you have the chance to move through the ranks if you're any good.



Great point. There's a difference because these are specific pieces of training you can't just pick up along the way by working in a theater. They are also skills that will help you a lot in the real world.


----------



## Logos (Oct 18, 2007)

In Australia Test and Tag wouldn't hurt either.


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 18, 2007)

the course i want to do 
includes a EWP Certificate (anything below 11m)
and tag and test licence

so it's pretty good already


----------



## Bean (Oct 18, 2007)

I did my EWP Certificate test, and passed with flying colours, but I got my test back saying "Competent but under 18" which sucked since it was the first year the under 18 year old bit came in... apparently.


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 19, 2007)

oh that sucks, but you can see why they did it.
anyway
ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats it's time for an update

I have been speaking with my schools career person and he feels that i should complete my yr11 and 12 studies, which means that i would have to put off my degree for another year (starting it in 2009, rather than 2008)
but what he has suggested is some work placement at a sound company (work experience to people would know it as) which i think is a step forward to at least getting some contacts and it's something to put on my resume as i can say i got paid for it which i will (minimum 5dollars a day, to cover insurance, if you get paid you work for the company so you a covered by insurance ) so even if i am rolling cables or something i really don't mind as everything is a step forward. besides on sunday i get to sink my teeth into a sound supervision role for my school teaching a new kid how to operate 16ch desk with a eq system....yes my life is boring but it gives me something to look forward to.


----------



## gafftaper (Oct 19, 2007)

Hughesie89 said:


> oh that sucks, but you can see why they did it.
> anyway
> ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats it's time for an update
> I have been speaking with my schools career person and he feels that i should complete my yr11 and 12 studies, which means that i would have to put off my degree for another year (starting it in 2009, rather than 2008)
> but what he has suggested is some work placement at a sound company (work experience to people would know it as) which i think is a step forward to at least getting some contacts and it's something to put on my resume as i can say i got paid for it which i will (minimum 5dollars a day, to cover insurance, if you get paid you work for the company so you a covered by insurance ) so even if i am rolling cables or something i really don't mind as everything is a step forward. besides on sunday i get to sink my teeth into a sound supervision role for my school teaching a new kid how to operate 16ch desk with a eq system....yes my life is boring but it gives me something to look forward to.



That's *GREAT *Hughesie. That's exactly the sort of thing that will build the contacts you need and get you real work in the real world. Congrats. Now get to work! Remember no task is beneath you and every person you meet might be the key to your future in the industry no matter how much of a jerk they are.


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 19, 2007)

got it, Gaff


----------



## tomed101 (Oct 21, 2007)

I am doing a similar thing this Christmas holidays, a weeks work experience at Queensland's largest performing arts centre (QPAC) And next year I may be taking a program where I complete a university subject (which I get credit for) every semester while I am in grade 12. 

The Aussies present might be able to help me out here, I am also looking for a good theater/lighting university degree to commence in 2009. QUT has a Bachelor of Fine Arts (technical production) but I have had mixed reports about it. Some love it and some hate it. Are there any comparable courses in Australia that others know of? I figure I can travel to anywhere in QLD, NSW or VIC for a course and get cheap flights home at holidays etc. 

Thanks
Tom


----------



## Logos (Oct 21, 2007)

Nothing in SA.

I love this town in many ways, grew up here and all that. The Festival is great but ... 

The rest of the year stinks artistically and there is no real tertiary education in the arts here at all.


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 22, 2007)

ok i can only recommond one for short courses in sydney called Julius Events College, only from what i have read i don't know anyone that has gone there

their website is http://svc035.wic011v.server-web.com/training/default.asp 

it seems a strange address but that's right


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 28, 2007)

Boys and Girls i have more news

the paperwork is now complete and i am doing two weeks (one before my exams) and one after them, interesting fact, before you can do work experience in Victoria you have to do a OH&S course, consisting of a 16 question online quiz that in the end leaves you with a certificate, anyway....

if you want to look at what passes as a OHS course in victoria 
you can find it here

http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/[email protected]/tests/index.asp


----------



## gafftaper (Oct 28, 2007)

I just registered as "Hughesie Logos" a student at "SA Theater Tech". I got three wrong but then I didn't read the material.


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 28, 2007)

still a good test to run on new students, but obvious but still helps you get a base line of knowledge


----------



## bdesmond (Oct 28, 2007)

avkid said:


> Horse hockey.
> That's what references are for.



Hmm, no not always. There are a couple things you have to know about checking references:

--> Calling the first reference which is often their current job can be a very risky move. If I have a problem on my staff, I can solve that problem by giving his next employer a good reference.

--> People choose specific references for a reason - for all I know the guy listed at the previous job is the candidate's best buddy.

Call back a couple jobs and you usually get somewhere, but just because they got good references doesn't guarantee by any stretch that the candidate will be a good hire.


----------



## Logos (Oct 28, 2007)

I don't trust referees at all. I was actually told by a professional HR person that no good reference can be taken seriously anymore because people are too afraid of being sued for bad references. I would much rather find people who worked with the candidate on jobs and have no axe to grind and have a confidential chat.


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 29, 2007)

mmm, i agree

but it shouldn't all be on refrences, i think talking to the person is the best way to decide


----------



## Hughesie (Oct 31, 2007)

Further News

but not as important

i have updated my website with my resume 

http://www.alexhughes.bravehost.com/resume.htm

anyone know of some good free web hosting that doesn't have advertising on the pages and has FTP?
because im sick of the ads


----------



## gafftaper (Nov 4, 2007)

Hughesie after reading all your posts and your metric terror attack P.M.s, I've decided the answer to this thread is "no".


----------



## Hughesie (Nov 4, 2007)

yeah, i can actually understand your reasoning for that.....


----------



## Hughesie (Nov 12, 2007)

Further news

in two days (thursday) i will be doing a gapped two week work expiriance course with these guys Link 
 i have no idea what i will be doing, but my supervisier is the owner of the company, so it shall be intresting, i will report back on this issue when i get time


----------



## soundlight (Nov 12, 2007)

Well, that'd be cool if the link worked. Add a second m to make it comms and you'll get the right site.

That does look like an awesome company to get involved with! Enjoy your work experience course.


----------



## Hughesie (Nov 12, 2007)

fixed and yes that's the website


----------



## Hughesie (Nov 15, 2007)

well, what a day i have had, came in wound some cables then assisted in the delivery of some sound gear to one of melbourne's theatres, back to base to wind cables then out to a movie studio to drop some two way radios off and have a general look around, there building a full size battleship and have tons of tanks and jeeps for the filming of "the pacfic" which is a tv series that is being filmed here in melbourne, australia

one of the best days i have had


----------



## Chris15 (Jan 15, 2008)

Now this is belated, but you'll cope. Standard reply from me, random collection of thoughts hopefully having some link back to the topic...

Your careers adviser has a degree of sense. Whatever else you may choose, do your VCE. So many things these days need it or the HSC or all the other equivalents. In fact, NSW are looking to phase out the School Certificate at the end of year 10 simply because it's of bugger all relevance in today's society.

Now up here, there are these things called VET courses which allow you to study for an AQF certificate and it counts as a subject and you can use one of them in calculating your UAI subject to a couple of conditions. I think your equivalent of the UAI is the TER or the like.

How did you find the work experience? It's interesting that you get paid, because up here it's the complete opposite. Work Experience can't be paid because it stuffs up the Education Dept's insurance - they have what is basically workers comp insurance to cover every kid on authorised work experience. The aforementioned VET courses have a mandatory 70 hours work placement that you have to completed within the course, normally as 2 blocks of a week. Most people do 1 in yr11 & 1 in yr12.

I firmly believe that it is who you know and not what you know. But what you know can be important, it's just a shame that what you know and what pieces of paper you hold are definitely not the same thing... I hate to say it but given what I've seen, I wouldn't even take an advanced diploma as any indication you know anything. This would be because I happen to work immediately opposite Juliusmedia and while I'm sure that the certificate lives up to all the stated objectives and CUE03, it's no guarantee that you will actually know what you are doing at the end of it. But I guess it's like everything, it's only worth as much as you are willing to put into it...

Juliusmedia or Julius Events (they keep changing their name, I suspect for accounting reasons) do offer the short courses, Cert 3, sections thereof, Cert 4 is a 6 mnth course and Adv Dip is a full year "full time"meaning what 9:30 til 1:30 5 days a week or something. But comparing that to academic "full time"... There are others who do short courses, NIDA I think, probably the VCA would as well as other similar places...

As to lighting deign etc. degrees - I know NIDA do one, I suspect that these other places would as well: VCA, WAAPA etc. But they are very high level courses...I believe Uni of Wollongong does a technical sort of course... head over to the UAC website at http://www.uac.edu.au for information on all courses at all NSW unis... there should be a page that links to the respective organisations in the other states...

tomed, remember that QPAC is part of the public sector and that WILL affect the way they do things; it's just a factor if the public sector.

The more normal address for the Julius group would be http://www.juliusmedia.com

These Outlook Comms people seem to be telling porkies... The claim of most experienced providing tech. services for the ent. industry is very questionable, they have been around 18 years. McLean on the other hand were principal audio contractor for Melbourne 1956...

One thing I forgot, would someone please tell me what this test and tag LICENCE you speak of is... Workcover (NSW) do not issue licences, but do need 12 pages to define a "competent person" - basically doa course, but they don't accredit courses or issue licences...


----------



## Logos (Jan 15, 2008)

In Tas you do a four day course at TAFE and end up with a State Govt issued license. You don't need the license because you only have to be a competent person. However unless you hold a current general electricians licnese or the TAFE issued license it could be hard to prove that you are competent.
In SA we are the same as you. You have to be a competent person. The state government has decided that the best definition of a competent person is someone who holds a current electricians license or who has completed the one day TAFE course giving a certificate that says you can test stuff.
I don't know the other States.


----------



## Chris15 (Jan 16, 2008)

Yet we've managed to get to a point of having national licences for rigging, EWP, scaffolding, cranes, forklifts, trucks etc. So why can't we standardise Test n tag? But I guess then you start to look at standardise sparky's ticket and then plumbers and before you know it the list is very long...

For reference, a competent person is defined for NSW in this document.


----------



## tomed101 (Jan 16, 2008)

> tomed, remember that QPAC is part of the public sector and that WILL affect the way they do things; it's just a factor if the public sector.



I am not entirely sure what you mean here, but I have completed the work experience and liked what I saw there. I sill be going back later in the year, and I am hoping to complete work experience at The Brisbane Entertainment Centre, which does everything on a much larger scale.


----------



## Chris15 (Jan 16, 2008)

I'll compose my thoughts on why this is so and email them to you...


----------

