# What does Local Experience mean?



## kimh (Aug 21, 2013)

Hi Seniors,

I have read a lot about migrants being rejected in interviews because they do not have local experience. Just wanted to clarify about this term. Is it :

1. Work experience in the state you are applying for a job?

2. Work experience in Australia?

Like, I have 6 months of work experience in WA but I have applied for Victoria's state sponsorship. Will it be considered as 'Local Experience'? Please clarify.

Thanks
Kimh


----------



## jre05 (Feb 16, 2013)

kimh said:


> Hi Seniors,
> 
> I have read a lot about migrants being rejected in interviews because they do not have local experience. Just wanted to clarify about this term. Is it :
> 
> ...


As far I know, in Australia, local experience very much means the "Local STATE" experience and not the country experience at all place. Some may consider country level but most prefer local state working experience.

You might have also seen that, if you were living in WA, you cannot apply for PR into any other state other than WA (Many states has this kind of restriction), likewise, its for job too.

But, I strongly believe that, if one is rightly skilled and can add a great value addition, "local experience" term can be overriden, not only in Australia, but anywhere in the world 

Never give up.


----------



## AncientGlory (Aug 23, 2012)

kimh said:


> Hi Seniors,
> 
> I have read a lot about migrants being rejected in interviews because they do not have local experience. Just wanted to clarify about this term. Is it :


I'm curios to know how people figured out that they were rejected because they don't have local experience?? Do interviewers let you know?


----------



## jre05 (Feb 16, 2013)

jre05 said:


> As far I know, in Australia, local experience very much means the "Local STATE" experience and not the country experience at all place. Some may consider country level but most prefer local state working experience.
> 
> You might have also seen that, if you were living in WA, you cannot apply for PR into any other state other than WA (Many states has this kind of restriction), likewise, its for job too.
> 
> ...



Also Kimh, there are many guys I know, who didn't had Australian experience have got the job very soon as they reached there (Within 3 weeks). Thus, I strongly believe that, Australian experience cannot be the mandatory filtering criteria, however it can always add value if one has it.

Hope you get your job in this New Year soon 

Best regards,
JR


----------



## 2013 (Sep 16, 2013)

I think, if you're very well experienced with a bunch of certifications like Microsoft, Cisco, Red hat, etc then it might override the local experience clause.


----------



## AncientGlory (Aug 23, 2012)

jre05 said:


> Also Kimh, there are many guys I know, who didn't had Australian experience have got the job very soon as they reached there (Within 3 weeks). Thus, I strongly believe that, Australian experience cannot be the mandatory filtering criteria, however it can always add value if one has it.


I totally agree with this. This local experience requirement seems like a made up reason.

It is unfortunate that people are focusing on made up reasons than real ones when deciding why they were unsuccessful in a job application. This only makes things worse.


----------



## jre05 (Feb 16, 2013)

AncientGlory said:


> I totally agree with this. This local experience requirement seems like a made up reason.
> 
> It is unfortunate that people are focusing on made up reasons than real ones when deciding why they were unsuccessful in a job application. This only makes things worse.


Yes, perhaps true, there is a misconception. With 2014 and July, heaps of new opportunities come as per Chris Walton, Professionals Australia who represents IT.

*Source:*

Australian IT industry facing skills crisis; may generate over 21,000 new jobs
Economic Times |4 days ago |Posted By: aulabh mishra
Despite efforts to meet falling demand, the Australian information technology sector is experiencing a costly skills crisis and needs to bridge the gap by hiring IT graduates for major projects.

The IT sector which contributes about AUD 42 billion to the nation's economy every year, is expected to generate over 21,000 new IT jobs in next three years.

The sector has been facing a crisis to meet the growing demand of skills. Australian government at both federal and state level has been spending millions to probe ways to fill thousands of empty jobs.

According to IT workers, government money would be better spent hiring graduates for big projects so they can get valuable on-the-job experience.

"The decline in manufacturing and the end of the mining boom suggests that Australia needs to find its competitive strength," Chris Walton of Professionals Australia, the union representing IT workers, was quoted saying an ABC report.

"And the fact is IT is essential to innovation and productivity," he said.

In a study report earlier this year, Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency (AWPA) also indicated the changes needed to fix the problem.

"Around 45 per cent of small businesses don't yet have an online presence, and in the future that's going to be absolutely critical," study chairwoman Marie Persson said adding, "The whole global economy is happening, but possibly business is not quite realising how quickly."

Walton said that even the companies building an online presence and updating equipment will not hire inexperienced workers.

He urged the federal government to bridge the gap by hiring IT graduates for major projects.

"We've got this vicious cycle where companies only want experienced people, and headhunt from each other, pushing up wage rates, but aren't doing the development of the new graduates," Walton said.

"So we need to break that circuit and the only way we can see is for government, through its procurement, to require grad programs to be part of the procurement tender," he said.

Due to the nature of the IT industry, Australian companies often find the skills they need for a lower price by sending work offshore.

The AWPA acknowledges that it is a risk to local jobs. Persson says state and federal governments are trying to build an IT workforce that can compete on a global scale, but she wants Australia to take some tips from places like the UK.


----------



## kimh (Aug 21, 2013)

jre05 said:


> Yes, perhaps true, there is a misconception. With 2014 and July, heaps of new opportunities come as per Chris Walton, Professionals Australia who represents IT.
> 
> Source:
> 
> ...


Ok...thanks for clarifying  Have a super year ahead!


----------

