GAP Year for young overseas qualified engineers

Are you an overseas qualified engineer with advanced English skills looking to gain exposure in the Australian engineering industry?

The Experience Engineering in Australia Program has been developed to assist people just like you to get a foot in the door.

Developed in partnership with Navitas Workforce Solutions, the Experience Engineering in Australia program is aimed at addressing the engineering skills shortage in Western Australia, a hub of engineering and mining activity. Learn more about:
 

What is the program about?
Am I eligible for the program?
Engineering Disciplines required?
Where are the work experience?
Can I work during the program? 
What is available to me throughout this program?
How do I apply?

What is the program about?

Aimed at overseas qualified engineers from recognised universities who have the appropriate study and work rights in Australia, the program provides participants with a 4-week (80 hour) work-readiness program introducing them to industry developments in Australia, Australian workplace culture and business communications as well as what is expected of an engineering professional before entering into a 12 week (unpaid) work experienceship in their engineering discipline.

Am I eligible for this program?

Applications** to join the program are only open to qualified engineers who hold or are eligible for the following Visa types:

• Skilled – Graduate Recognised (Temporary) visa 476
• Working Holiday Visa (417)
• Working and Holiday Visa (462)
• Applications are also open for Australian citizens and residents.
   

To check your eligibility for any of these visas, please go to www.immi.gov.au or click on the links above.

**Acceptance into the program may also be dependent upon internship availability within your engineering discipline despite meeting immigration criteria, so acceptance is not wholly based on visa approval alone.

As the Experience Engineering in Australia program is a WA-based program, all participants must be able to undertake the program in WA for the specified duration of the program. This means that participants currently located in other states must fund their own relocation for the period of the program to WA.

In the instance where a work placement is located in a remote or regional area, host companies will be required to provide transport and accommodation assistance by agreement, but this does not include actual relocation to WA itself or any accommodation costs incurred prior to or after work placement.

*acceptance into the program may also be dependent upon placement availability within your engineering discipline despite meeting immigration criteria, so acceptance is not based wholly on visa approval alone.

What engineering disciplines are required?

Where is the work experience?

The current focus of the Experience Engineering in Australia program is in Western Australia only. All face-to-face classes will take place in Perth, however as many engineering organisations are based in remote or regional areas, work experienceship locations will vary according to the needs of industry.

Participants will not be able to choose where they are work experienced. However, if your placement is in a regional or outlying area it is expected that your host organisation provide transport and accommodation for the duration of your work experienceship.
 

Can I work during the program?

All visa types applicable to the Experience Engineering in Australia program are eligible to work during the theory component of the program, however the work experienceship component is full-time; 5 days a week, which would prohibit working elsewhere. All work experienceships are unpaid.
 

What is available to me throughout this program?

As well as the program itself, which includes 4 weeks (80 hours) coursework including work-readiness, engineering theory components and on-line self-paced learning, participants are also provided access to the comprehensive and bestselling “Backpacker to Briefcase” on-line suite by Jill Nobel.

Employment assistance is also available to all program participants on completion of the program through Navitas Workforce Solutions.

How do I apply?

All applications should have supporting documentation including:

• Completed application form
• Certified copy of passport and Australian Government approved visa details
• Certified evidence of English language proficiency (IELTS 6.0+)
• Certified copies of academic transcripts
• Current curriculum vitae