Thread: Re-skilling - TAFE Courses

I can only comment in respect to NSW TAFE Furniture & Cabinet Making Certificate III -- I expect my experience would apply to TAFE offered Certif 3 in Welding

Entry requirements
No prior woodworking experience is necessary
prior or current employment within the furniture making industry is not required

Course
8hrs per week over 3 years. Either 1 whole day per week, or two 4hr nights
It might be possible to compress this into 1 year, but that would depend on there being
1) teaching staff available
2) classrooms / workshop available
3) enough participants to make it worthwhile

Cost
about $2,000 for tuition plus $1,000 for materials for the Certificate III level

Certf IV takes another 1 or 2 years (I'm not sure which) at the same attendance pattern


hope this helps to put the courses you're looking at into perspective

Gidday )

I did a pre apprenticeship course thats basically the same a 1st year apprentice would do. Im now in my fourth year and found the course gave me a foot in the door.

The best advise i can give is to call your local TAFE and talk to the carreers counsellor who will point you in the right direction to meet your needs.

Its also really worth while talking to the head teacher of the welding section and having a yarn about what your goals are.

regards Lou

I've already enrolled at the local TAFE.

Pre-requisites...

Perform Manual Heating and Thermal Cutting, 20hrs

Interpret drawings, 40hrs

Perform Measurements, 30hrs

Use Hand Tools, 20hrs

Use Power Tools, 20hrs

Perform Manual Production Welding, 20hrs

I don't really want to go into welding. As a job I imagine it would be dirty, hot and at the end of the day boring. Having these certificates would make you far more valuable as an employee though.

I'm 38 with teenage kids and a new baby on the way, lol. That's what I'm worried about.

Originally Posted by slhouetteV8

I've already enrolled at the local TAFE.

Pre-requisites...

Perform Manual Heating and Thermal Cutting, 20hrs

Interpret drawings, 40hrs

Perform Measurements, 30hrs

Use Hand Tools, 20hrs

Use Power Tools, 20hrs

Perform Manual Production Welding, 20hrs

I don't really want to go into welding. As a job I imagine it would be dirty, hot and at the end of the day boring. Having these certificates would make you far more valuable as an employee though.

I'm 38 with teenage kids and a new baby on the way, lol. That's what I'm worried about.

Who says you have to go int metalworking.Find the trade you really like.There will likely be a training couse for it.Some tafes are not exceptionally helpful but others are .Be persistant.

Hey! don't fret about age, my oldest adult apprentice was 47,so you are never too old. He was an ex butcher but there was no money in being a butcher.

Adult apprentices are chosen by employers as they have self motivation and committment in spades .They are mature and reliable. If you have the go in you you can get through earlier than three years.

Its about what you have in you,not what tafe has.

cheers
Grahame

Originally Posted by slhouetteV8

I don't really want to go into welding. As a job I imagine it would be dirty, hot and at the end of the day boring. Having these certificates would make you far more valuable as an employee though.

If you like what you do, you get real good at it, then people pay you more because you're good. Then you have a job that you like and pays well. Nothin wrong with that.

If you're not into it, you're always going to struggle for motivation, you won't be great at what you do and your pay cheque will show it. Nobody wants a welder who doesn't want to weld working for them.

Everyone's gotta eat, but if you have the choice of what training you're going to do - I reckon pick what you can see yourself sticking with. Much more likely to pay off in the long term. Good luck with it

- Mick

Thanks for your comments guys, I should elaborate...

I've enrolled in the Advanced Diploma of Engineering Technology as well as 3E & 4. My plan would be to exit in two years with Diploma and Certificates 3E, 4 & 7.

If I found someone that would take me as an adult apprentice in the Fitting Machinist trade I would relocate but doing a pre apprenticeship hasn't been possible until now and unfortunately they don't start until July.

The modules contained in the diploma are different to the modules in the welding courses. I'd like to have something more practical to fall back on that I know is nationally recognized.

My comments about welding as a career were thoughtless and not intended to offend anyone.

NewLou... Do you really think it's a given that the certificate two will lead to an apprenticeship?? Lets remove issues like commitment and ability to learn.

Does the certificate two qualify as the first year or just theoretically?

I went in and paid for everything today.

Ended up leaving the welding for this year because the modules in the Diploma can be used for credit in the certificates. Over 200hrs in the first year which isn't that far short of a year anyway.

Once back in the work force I can continue taking night lessons and obtain the Advanced Trade Diploma which is 3E, 4, 6, 7, 8G, 8F & 9. Thats a ways off though.

I was nervous and unsure about committing but it's done now

Originally Posted by slhouetteV8

T
NewLou... Do you really think it's a given that the certificate two will lead to an apprenticeship?? Lets remove issues like commitment and ability to learn.

Nothings a given BUT doing a course like the one I completed shows potential employees that your motivated and keen. I got my Job through teachers supporting me and giving keen students in our class an opportunity to ring around local industry looking for work.

TAFE teachers are often the unofficial talent scouts for potential employers and often have a good network within local industry. If you work hard n show your keen as mustard it can lead to a quick break!

Regards Lou

slhouette

good on you
If you're not currently in the workforce, and hence have time to study, can I encourage you to take on as much study as your family committments will allow.
If you can knock off more than a year's worth in one hit, it will be that much easier once you re-enter the workforce.
Although I don't know the details, I'm sure there are special programs for people re-skilling so they can re-enter the workforce. It might be worth a long wait in Centerlink's phone queue

Originally Posted by slhouetteV8

I went in and paid for everything today.

Ended up leaving the welding for this year because the modules in the Diploma can be used for credit in the certificates. Over 200hrs in the first year which isn't that far short of a year anyway.

Once back in the work force I can continue taking night lessons and obtain the Advanced Trade Diploma which is 3E, 4, 6, 7, 8G, 8F & 9. Thats a ways off though.

I was nervous and unsure about committing but it's done now

Before you even attempt doing 3E, 4, 6, 7, 8G, 8F & 9 you would want to do the modules like you do in the trade course, you have to be a very good welder to obtain them certificates.

Guys,
I am getting the feeling here that some may not fully understand the skill level required for certification welding.
As an instructor that taught and certified those certificates for a decade perhaps I can offer some insights.

Firstly I would get a look at the code As1796 The Certification of Welders.
If you don't have the current As code you may be wasting your time .

An arc strike , one arc strike, on the non weldable zone can put put 12 weeks of workdown and practice down the tube, as a fail.

Candidates are usually seasoned welders with a couple of years of full time welding behing them. Unless the code has changed its pre reqreqs drastically it also started a qualification / experience minimum before you could be awarded a certificate.

Tafe will train you for the ticket but it is the WITA in most cases that awards them.Tafe not guarantee that if you pass the test that the WTIA would necessarily award you a cert automatically.Of course this may vary from place to place.

People's safety depends on the ability and skills of certified welders.Their welding has to be right first time ,every time.

A bit of checking would be advisable.

Grahame

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

Guys,
I am getting the feeling here that some may not fully understand the skill level required for certification welding.
As an instructor that taught and certified those certificates for a decade perhaps I can offer some insights.

Firstly I would get a look at the code As1796 The Certification of Welders.
If you don't have the current As code you may be wasting your time .

An arc strike , one arc strike, on the non weldable zone can put put 12 weeks of workdown and practice down the tube, as a fail.

Candidates are usually seasoned welders with a couple of years of full time welding behing them. Unless the code has changed its pre reqreqs drastically it also started a qualification / experience minimum before you could be awarded a certificate.

Tafe will train you for the ticket but it is the WITA in most cases that awards them.Tafe not guarantee that if you pass the test that the WTIA would necessarily award you a cert automatically.Of course this may vary from place to place.

People's safety depends on the ability and skills of certified welders.Their welding has to be right first time ,every time.

A bit of checking would be advisable.

Grahame

It doesn't matter who issues the certification does it?? If you pass you pass. If you fail it's your own fault.

Old Fella... As stated the modules in the diploma account for over 200hrs towards the welding modules. This well exceeds the pre apprenticeships.

What's done is done... No use thinking negative now.

Thanks for the replies guys much appreciated.

Originally Posted by slhouetteV8

It doesn't matter who issues the certification does it?? If you pass you pass. If you fail it's your own fault.

Old Fella... As stated the modules in the diploma account for over 200hrs towards the welding modules. This well exceeds the pre apprenticeships.

What's done is done... No use thinking negative now.

Thanks for the replies guys much appreciated.

Before they even let you try for a as1796 certificate you have to atleast done one of the things below.

Have a AS1796 certificate (1-9) and 40 hours of training using process or

Appropriate trade certificate and 40 hours using process and a letter from employer stating 12 month appropriate experience or

Appropriate welding courses totaling 300 hours training and 40 hours of training using process and letter from employer stating 2 years appropriate welding experience or

letter from employer stating 3 years appropriate welding experience or

Statutory Decleration stating duration, location and type of work undertaken

So you will have to go to tafe for a fair while before you can even try for one of the AS1796 certificates

I had to edit this post as I thought you were having a go at me the first time around old fella.

I would have 340hrs training on the 3E & 4 alone. From there the other certificates would require a lot less 160hrs each for 7, 8g & 8F, 80hrs for 6 and 40hrs for 9. After completing 3E & 4 I could secure a job to get my foot in the door and complete the rest at night school.

I don't really want to go down the welding path but I want to get as much happening now as I possibly can to get me through the next 30yrs.