Getting my electrical licence recognised in Queensland

The Offshore Technical Skills Record

With a successful assessment, I received an Offshore Technical Skills Record (OTSR). It proves your skills are equivalent to an Australian qualification, but it is not a licence.

Provisional licence in Queensland

After arriving, I applied to the Electrical Safety Office in Queensland for a provisional licence. It let me work under the supervision of a licensed electrician while I completed any gap training. The application was about 90 dollars and took three weeks.

Gap training and full licence

To get my full licence, I needed:

• A Capstone assessment for electricians
• A safety training course (CPR and low voltage rescue, which must be renewed every year)
• A period of supervised work

I completed the gap training at a TAFE in Brisbane. It cost about 1,800 dollars and took three weeks of evening and weekend sessions. After around 11 months on the provisional licence, I received my full electrical work licence.

Work and pay

While on the provisional licence, I worked for a medium-size electrical contractor at around 38 dollars an hour. It was lower than I wanted, but good experience. After my full licence, my rate went up to 48 dollars an hour, and I now earn around 105,000 dollars a year including overtime. Superannuation is paid on top.

Differences from Poland and the UK

• Work starts early: 6am starts are common because of the heat
• Safety culture is very strong. Toolbox talks every morning, strict PPE rules
• Solar and battery installations are everywhere. I did an extra course for grid-connected solar, which opened more work
• People are very direct but relaxed. My boss calls everyone "mate"

Advice

• Start your skills assessment early, it takes months
• Keep all your payslips and references from every job
• Study the Wiring Rules seriously, not just the parts you think are different
• Do not accept work outside your licence conditions. Fines for unlicensed electrical work are very high

Brisbane has been good to me. I have work, the weather is great, and I spend my weekends on the Sunshine Coast. It took over a year to be fully licensed, but it was worth it.