From New Zealand to new career in Oz
2 May, 2023 3 min read
A kiwi chippie has used CSQ funding to fast track his new business in Australia and gain more flexibility for his new role as a young dad.
Alex Stevenson (28) moved to Australia in 2020 and founded Crusader Building Group with his childhood mate, Matt. It wasn’t until they were approached by another company to quote on some jobs themselves, that Alex started the process of getting his contractor’s license.
When filling out the necessary forms he discovered that his New Zealand qualifications were not recognised in Australia. That’s when he turned to TAFE Queensland, and CSQ funding, for help getting his skills recognised:
“I called up TAFE and they were really happy to help me out … they put me through to a great tutor called Mark Turner. He was fantastic and really helpful – he gave me all the information that I needed and made it all effortless to transition through.”
Alex enrolled in the Skills and Gap Training program at TAFE Queensland and has now gained a Cert III in Carpentry.
For Alex, the best part of the process was the flexibility to complete learning in and around his busy schedule as a contractor, “I worked pretty wild hours being a contractor so sometimes I wouldn’t be able to make the time slot that we originally agreed upon. But they were always very understanding and made time for me when I could make it in, which I really appreciated.”
Career opportunities weren’t the only reason Alex moved to Australia, however, “I met my partner in London, she’s a Gold Coast girl, so it was always inevitable that I would move to Australia, it just took a bit longer than I anticipated. My brother lives in Brisbane as well … it’s always nice to be close to my big bro.”
“I really wanted to move to Australia and have a crack and, you know, it’s a great place to start a business and try and get ahead. I feel like I wouldn’t have had the same opportunities in New Zealand that I’ve had over here.”
For now, however, life is all about finding balance. Alex is hoping that his ability to quote on his own jobs will give him more control over his schedule, particularly important for a young dad.
“My partner and I just had a wee boy three months ago. I’m just trying to spend as much time as possible with them and take care of them…take him off my partner’s hands to give her a wee break as well.”
The flexibility he has gained with his business and newly recognised skills, means he can prioritise family when he needs to, “At the end of the day, the job’s always going to be there tomorrow. But if I need to be there for my partner, I can go.”
Alex says that having CSQ funding was crucial to his success in the RPL process, “The funding was fantastic … having the funding really encouraged me to take the step and do it. It was so heavily subsidised that I was really excited. It was just one less thing I had to worry about; the cost side of it, and it will benefit me for years to come. It was just an absolute no brainer.”
The Skills and Gap Training experience has allowed Alex a whole new outlook on his career, and he recommends anyone considering it to jump in, “It’s one of the best opportunities that I’ve ever had. I’ve never looked back and it’s really opened a lot of doors for me. I can’t stress enough how important it is to go out and have a try, you know, what’s the worst that could happen? …Yeah, it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done.”