And this is your invitation to register now, for the Aussie jobs fair in Houston, May
19th and 20th.
If you're a skilled worker in oil, gas, mining, or construction, then Australia has a job
for you.
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship has taken its search for skilled
migrants to the US for the first time, wrapping up a two day skills expo in Houston,
Texas.
More than 750 tradespeople, engineers, surveyors and college graduates pitched their
resumes to Australian businesses keen to showcase the opportunities to work in Australia.
It builds on the element of the relationship which has been there for a long time in
the military sense, builds on the cultural connections between Australia and the United
States which is simply enormous.
The skills expo came after a major advertising campaign and widespread news coverage
with almost three thousand people expressing their interest.
Organiser Peter Speldewinde was thrilled with the turn-out.
We're very, very happy with the roll-up for the skills expo.
It's exceeded our expectations.
The skills expo came after a joint initiative announced to help American workers by
having their trade qualifications recognised in-country before they fly to their new job.
It's hoped it will make Australia an even more attractive destination for US workers.
One of the things that makes it attractive for Americans to go and work in Australia,
is that there's so many familiar things in the local iconography when they get there,
that they can feel comfortable.
I would love to step up in Australia, because the opportunities there are lot broader
than in the US right now.
Unfortunately in the current economy in the United States there has been some downturn,
especially in the construction industries.
I hate to be stereotypical, but you only know things
about Australia that you've seen on TV.
You know about the animals, and it's a beautiful place, work wise we don't know that much
about it.
And I came to this to find out what I can do, and if I can be of help to make Australia a
better place, maybe even move there, if the opportunities are great enough.
It's a broader opportunity.
I spent years in the military, and enjoyed the travel, and it's just more of a broader
opportunity, to meet new people, meet new culture, and hopefully provide my experience to
Australia.
Australia has plenty of work involved, the people are friendly, very conservative, and
being born and raised in West Texas, we have a lot in common.
American workers will get another chance to look into Aussie jobs when a follow-up job fair
is held in Detroit in late June.
