# PhD and Engineers Australia



## opto (Jan 23, 2017)

Hello Folks,

Just did PTE and would like to proceed with the assessment stuff. I have read through forums but could not find satisfactory answers to the following. I would greatly appreciate your insight.


PhD

- My PhD was life sciences + engineering (Electrical stimulation of heart). I can apply to both EA and VETASSESS. Which one should I go for?

- I anyway have to go to EA for skills assessment. Does it matter if my PhD is assessed by one and skills by other.

- A probably advantage with going for VETASSESS is that I can get my Phd assessed as work experience (36 hours/week, fully paid, paid taxes and pension and other social contributions, have a reference letter for it as well). However, VETASSESS can only assess me for life sciences which is not any list. 
However, life scientist technician is in state nominated, maybe I can ask them for that? Is it possible to be assessed for a lower position?



Engineers Australia

- Is it possible to get assessed for a category other than your undergrad. I have Bachelors (and Masters) in Biomedical Engineering but would like to an assessment as an electronic engineer. The two fields are closely related with many overlapping subjects. Also for past 22 months I have worked as an electronic engineer. My CDR will contain episodes highlighting my electronics engineering related work.

- My thinking behind this is that I want to apply under Electronics engineers category rather than biomedical engineer which comes under other engineering professionals, hence more competition.

- How old the CDR episodes can be? I would like to include my Master thesis as one episode, which was done in 2011.

- Can I mention one of my published papers as an episode. I am worried about the plagiarism thing (although it is my own work).


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## mutapha (May 21, 2017)

Let me ask you few questions. What are your current breakdown points? Is your PhD from an Australian university?

Even VETASSESS awards skilled employment for your PhD study, DIBP will never consider PhD study as skilled employment.

It depends on your decision to what your CDR orients to Electronics or Biomedical Engineer. But I think EA will likely access you as a Biomedical Engineer.

EA doesn't care when did you carry out your work presented in CDR, as long as it is yours and real.

If you have one of your CDR based on your publication, then you have a strong base that EA unlikely denies it.


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## opto (Jan 23, 2017)

Let me ask you few questions. What are your current breakdown points? Is your PhD from an Australian university?
*Thank you so much for your insights. They are really helpful.*
*Currently I am looking at 70 points (age + PhD + english 30+20+20). My PhD is from a Dutch University.*

Even VETASSESS awards skilled employment for your PhD study, DIBP will never consider PhD study as skilled employment.

*That might be true. Although, my almost half of my work was engineering related.*

It depends on your decision to what your CDR orients to Electronics or Biomedical Engineer. But I think EA will likely access you as a Biomedical Engineer.

*so even if I apply for Electronics engineer, they can assess me as a Biomedical? I thought they would just reject my assessment.*

EA doesn't care when did you carry out your work presented in CDR, as long as it is yours and real.
*A forum member told me that the company who prepared his CDR told him not to have episodes from 5 years earlier.*

If you have one of your CDR based on your publication, then you have a strong base that EA unlikely denies it.
*I have 5 publications, can I refer to them in my CDR? Just to avoid the plagiarism thing?*


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## opto (Jan 23, 2017)

Thanks for your input. I now have the better view about your case.

I think that first you should have the skill assessment from EA (forget about VETASSESS). You have a strong background of engineering both medical and electronics. As long as your CDR is relevant to one of them, you will receive the positive result for that occupation. So, try to plan your CDR accordingly. Don't be afraid of being rejected by EA because your CDR is based on old projects or plagiarism.

By the way, do you know that Victoria state have the streamlined nomination for PhD?
https://liveinmelbourne.vic.gov.au/...visa-nomination-occupation-list-for-graduates
https://liveinmelbourne.vic.gov.au/...reamlined-pathway-for-international-graduates

*If you interest in that, you should nominate your occupation as engineering technologist to EA.*

I also thought of this but I am confused about something in this respect. See attached picture. For Engineering Technologist they ask for "only work experience in the civil or mechanical engineering is eligible". Now the confusing part is for a PhD work experience is not required by VIC. 
So I am not sure where they want Engineering Technologist from biomedical or electronics or not.


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## mutapha (May 21, 2017)

The picture is the stream for non-PhD applicant. Please refer those links I provided. If you are a PhD, you don't need woking experience and they will process your application in 2 weeeks.

They just want Engineering Technologist, if you apply for Victoria.


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## opto (Jan 23, 2017)

mutapha said:


> The picture is the stream for non-PhD applicant. Please refer those links I provided. If you are a PhD, you don't need woking experience and they will process your application in 2 weeeks.
> 
> They just want Engineering Technologist, if you apply for Victoria.


Thank you so much indeed for taking the time out. 

I read somewhere where people were not happy with EA assessing them was Engineering Technologist. I see your logic clearly and agree with it but is there any disadvantage of getting assessed at a lower level? I guess Professional engineer is what people usually aim for.
What would you suggest for getting some official information about the same?


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## mutapha (May 21, 2017)

Everyone loves to be assessed as a professional engineer. It's true that it is a range of benefits for this occupation such as lower points in 189. But in this time, DIBP raises higher points for invitation i.e. 70~75. You can claim your working experience while doing PhD and your past 22 months directly to DIBP without Relevant Skilled Employment Assessment from EA, that means you have extra 10 points. I said earlier that it's unlikely for DIBP to award skilled employment points for your PhD, but if you have the strong evidence that points out all your PhD work is relevant to your occupation and it is paid officially, then you have the rights to claim these points.

Being assessed as Engineering Technologist is something not favorable for everyone. Because this occupation is extremely competitive. But Victoria prefers PhD and this occupation is in their list for graduate, it turns out to be very advantageous for those like you.

My final thought for your case is that you have a high chance to receive invitation immediately for Electronics or Biomedical Engineer, or even Engineering Technologist. So please start your CDR as soon as you can. I think that it's easy for those who have Master, PhD theses and 5 publications.


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## vigneshreach (Jul 17, 2018)

mutapha said:


> Let me ask you few questions. What are your current breakdown points? Is your PhD from an Australian university?


Dear muthapha, 

I have my PhD from an Australian University. My Bachelors was on Electronics (India), my post grad (EU) was in Color Engineering and finally my PhD was from an Australian University in Materials Engineering. 

I want myself to be assessed as Materials Engineer. How should I proceed with it.


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## mutapha (May 21, 2017)

vigneshreach said:


> Dear muthapha,
> 
> I have my PhD from an Australian University. My Bachelors was on Electronics (India), my post grad (EU) was in Color Engineering and finally my PhD was from an Australian University in Materials Engineering.
> 
> I want myself to be assessed as Materials Engineer. How should I proceed with it.


You can only be assessed as Electronics Engineer or Engineering Technologist. The skill assessment authority solely cares about of bachelor degree.


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## jackmacq (Jun 26, 2017)

Hi Folks,

I am in similar situation.

I have a Bachelor in Information Technology, and going to complete my PhD in Civil Engineering in a Melbourne Uni soon.

I have got a positive skill assessment for Developer Programmer (261312) from ACS last year.

Please advice me. My questions are: 

1. In this case, can I get a positive skill assessment for Engineering Technologist from Engineer Australia when I finish my PhD?

2. If I cannot get positive skill assessment from EA, can I use my PhD to apply as Victoria PhD pathway and using my ACS Software Developer to meet the state's skill assessment requirement?

Many thanks.


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