Pre-Arrival Preparation

Do not wait until you arrive in Australia to start preparing for the job search! Much of what you need to do can be started today from your home country so you hit the ground running when you arrive. As is the case in most countries, engineering is a regulated profession in Australia. It is almost impossible to get a job as an engineer without credentials recognition.

Credentials Recognition

The good news is that Engineers Australia is one of the most efficient recognition boards in the country. Depending on your engineering qualifications, this process can take anywhere from 4 to 16 weeks, so it is wise to begin the process before you arrive in Australia, or start looking for a job.

Before you arrive, you should also/working on your resume. Be aware that a resume in Australia may be very different to a resume in your country. Prepare for Australia guides you through the steps to creating a winning resume, cover letter, and preparation for interviews in English. Many of you will be looking for a job from outside the country, so do your homework in advance and learn everything you can about the industry, engineering ‘buzzwords’, and trends in your area of expertise. Your resume should speak to an ‘Australian’ employer, and the role for which you are applying. 

You should also collect the documentation you may need to present to the accreditation board and your potential employer.

English skills for engineers

How is your English? Needless to say, a professional role in Australia requires a very good level of English.

Unless you are a native English speaker, or have successfully completed and engineering degree, Masters, or Ph.D. in an Australian University, you will most likely have to you take the IELTS test. To qualify you must attain a minimum of Band 6 in all four modules – reading, reading, listening, and speaking in either be the general or academic version.

We recommend you brush up on your skills using Englishlink, a free, and very effective, online English training program.

Cambridge University Press publishes a good book teaching the language of engineers called English for Engineering.