Employment in another state
The information provided on this page is for interstate-qualified and/or experienced signal installers/maintainers seeking employment in Victoria.
Each Australian state has its own jurisdictional requirements, so check with the relevant authority if you’re seeking employment in a state other than Victoria.
Recognition of existing skills and qualifications
Already qualified and experienced?
If you’re already qualified as a signalling electrician/technician and working in a state other than Victoria, or if you’re signals-qualified and experienced from overseas, you’ll need to check what steps to take to meet Public Transport Victoria requirements before you can work in Victoria.
Technicians with interstate experience
Victorian transport regulations require that you hold the Certificate IV in Electrical – Rail Signalling (or its Victorian equivalent, the 21730VIC Certificate IV in Rail and Tram Signal Systems) or equivalent.
If you hold the superseded national Certificate IV in Electrical – Rail Signalling (UEE41207 or UEE41210), or if you have a qualification gained interstate and believe you can meet all or part of the Victorian qualification requirements, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) may apply.
At present, there is no bridging course for people coming into the Victorian rail system with interstate signal maintenance experience.
Once employed by a rail infrastructure organisation it is up to your employer to provide gap training relating to Victorian rail principles and to carry out any workplace knowledge/skills assessments to ensure your compliance with state government requirements.
If you are a rail signalling technician employed interstate and you hold the national Certificate IV in Electrical – Rail Signalling (UEE41207 or UEE41210), the following general advice can be used as a guide:
- Your Certificate IV in Electrical – Rail Signalling qualification aligns to the general knowledge and skill requirements for work as a rail signalling technician in Victoria. However, there are Victorian–specific knowledge requirements that need to be filled.
- These knowledge ‘gaps’ relate to:
- track safety high voltage safety
- Victorian Rail Industry Operator Group (VRIOG) standards applying to construction and testing
- the Victorian Public Transport Corporation Rules and operating procedures (the Victorian ‘rule book’)
- any company-specific maintenance instructions
- the skills needed to read Victorian rail signalling circuits and diagrams (these vary from other states).
- Once you’re employed you’ll need to be brought up-to-speed on these Victorian and organisation requirements. These and any other gap training needs will be addressed by the rail infrastructure company that employs you.
Talk to prospective employers about their requirements and how they can assist you to address Victorian rail principles. You can also discuss RPL requirements with a HRD Integrated Services staff member.
Technicians with overseas qualifications and experience
Signal maintenance technicians who have an overseas qualification and experience need to have their qualifications recognised and aligned to Australian requirements. HRD Integrated Services cannot help you with this.
Instead, you should contact:
- Australian Skills Recognition Information (ASRI) – a website that can help recent migrants find out how to get an assessment of occupational qualifications, skills or experience gained overseas (www.immi.gov.au/asri)
- Trades Recognition Australia, for skills assessment in trade occupations for the purpose of migration (www.deewr.gov.au/Skills/Programs/SkillsAssess/TRA/Pages/default.aspx)
- VETASSESS (www.vetassess.com.au) can also help you align overseas qualifications with Victorian and Australian requirements; some state/territory training authorities offer similar services.