cert 4 of mechanical trade qualification

[Krisp]

Getting rather bored of my current job . Just wondering how does one achieve their cert 4 level , as i have my trade cert which is level 3. Is there a tafe course or is it something you have to do at work?
I wouldnt mind going the extra yard later on to do an engineering degree.

[sweefu]

I hope you love maths and physics!

[Krisp]

I hope you love maths and physics!

thats easy also helps having 10 years of the trade behind you

[scvs6]

I just got my Cert 3 and it was a 4 year apprenticeship including going to TAFE and working. I didn't really see a point in me doing Cert 4 because Cert 3 is Road Transport (Heavy vehicles) and Cert 4 is Earthmoving, and I couldn't see myself working on anything that big.

[Krisp]

I just got my Cert 3 and it was a 4 year apprenticeship including going to TAFE and working. I didn't really see a point in me doing Cert 4 because Cert 3 is Road Transport (Heavy vehicles) and Cert 4 is Earthmoving, and I couldn't see myself working on anything that big.

the point is more money. when i came out of my apprenticeship i had no idea what i would be working on. I started as a manual machinist. then went into oil and gas valves as a fitter machinist, found another open door and worked as a diesel fitter on submarines and alco locomotives. next job was a fitter leader for a robotic welder and hard coating workshop. Then went into small engine mechanics for a stihl shop and now working as a maintaince fitter and pipe fitter with oil rig work.
Im just so sick at the quality of engineers ive had to deal with in the last ten years. a two year old squashed under a truck tyre would have better engineering skills than these morons.

[hi_ryder]

my advise to you is stay away from any trade that insurance money dictates your rate of pay. we just had 4 panel beaters leave the collision shop in the last 2 weeks cause they couldnt handle working for AAMI's $23 and hour r&r. not all trades are like this but do some digging around to who funds what. im a spray painter and im struggling at the moment too. hard trying to find a shop thats pays well. just using this as an example mechanical trades might be in a different boat but from what im hearing the auto trades are dying big time... im going to have a go at a few more places before i consider giving this trade the flick.... im cert 3 in vehicle refinishing, its getting beyond a joke...

[MasterOfReality]

thats easy also helps having 10 years of the trade behind you

Having a trade and working as an engineer are poles apart. Sure its good to know the manual part of the job (I had to work for a few years as a miner before working as a mining engineer) but you really need the rigorous mathematics and physics as a solid grounding. It doesn't mean you will use all of it in an engineering career but it helps establish the analytical thought and problem solving that you need. You may want to re-think the 'easy' bit.

What level of maths did you do at school? Did you go all the way to year 12 and study calculus?

[MasterOfReality]

Im just so sick at the quality of engineers ive had to deal with in the last ten years. a two year old squashed under a truck tyre would have better engineering skills than these morons.

Its a two way street - the morons I have to put up with certainly don't make life easy. And when the us and them attitude comes out then thats not helpful either. I have seen pleny of bright guys underground slowly turned into braindead morons, brainwashed by the older guys that 'engineers are useless'.

But of course they know how to run the mine by themselves. Or more like they think they know.

The point is, you may think you have better engineering skills than these morons, but in reality you lack the basic engineering design fundamentals, same as the morons you have encountered probably lack the on the tools experience.

[mischa]

Ive always found engineers that came from a trade are always more understanding of the job and have more understanding of it.

Im about to start my advance diplomer in electrotechnology this semester. Im currently still an electrical apprentice.

[MasterOfReality]

Agree totally, but I think the OP is severely underestimating the difficulty of a mech eng degree.

[Krisp]

Agree totally, but I think the OP is severely underestimating the difficulty of a mech eng degree.

not underestimating it at all. i need brain food desperately as each day passes im getting the feeling of feeling dumber. graduated did calculus, made the mathmatics of doing the trade so much easier. im willing to do the hard yards just dont know what my options are to going futher.
it seems every day im having to work out why these engineers are making simple mistakes that are wasting my time. hang on a sec their indians.

[MasterOfReality]

not underestimating it at all. i need brain food desperately as each day passes im getting the feeling of feeling dumber. graduated did calculus, made the mathmatics of doing the trade so much easier. im willing to do the hard yards just dont know what my options are to going futher.
it seems every day im having to work out why these engineers are making simple mistakes that are wasting my time. hang on a sec their indians.

Well if you did calculus at school then you should be right. It can get a bit hairy but if you stick to it then no problems. All the best if you choose to do it.

Indians hey? That explains everything haha. The indian educated engineers that I have had to work with are brilliant when it comes to the theory (although they tend to over analyse everything and get bogged down in too much detail), but pretty much useless when it comes to the practical stuff. Thats for mining, and by the sounds of it not too different in mechanical!

[walkahz]

I Finished my advanced diploma of mechanical engineering at Tafe in NSW last year. I used that to get into a degree of automotive engineering this year. In NSW they start off very basic with the maths and build you up to some basic calculus. Although Talking to some of my mates from uni that did the suposed same degree through victorian tafe, Their advanced diploma was basically the first 2 years of uni.
I find that at tafe as long as you attend all your classes and dont stuff around you will pass.

[VZ_SS]

Mate i say go for it, its not brain surgery. Seeing the engineers we get it cant be to hard lol. Being trade qualified youll have a better understanding of the job. Unlike the fresh uni boys we get thinking they know everything. Hard to get respect when you dont know the job. Good luck with it mate!!

[Drawnnite]

its always better to have the trade experience behind you.
nothing worse then the people in the office who have no idea how it actually works out in the field.

i looked at what i could do at work in qualifications wise, and the pay at the higher levels is just woah.

and good luck with it if you go for it.

[GEN3RATD]

worked as a diesel fitter on submarines

if you want a real challenege come and serve on them with me.