Adelaide - a city with few job opportunities, subtle racism and a bleak future

[Guest Dion]

OK guys,

 

Time to put in my two-bits worth of self centered ideas regarding this thread. I have been here in Adelaide 10 months (yesterday) and the reason I chose SA over VC was the fact that my skills and experience were highly sought for or that is what the SA government lead me to believe. I have received more than 400 rejection letters in 10 months. Lets try and brainstorm and see what the reasons might be:

 

1-Maybe I'm not qualified (why the hell did AIM successfully assess my qualifications and work experience then?)

2- My name is Ali (I'm not Alison) and I'm Middle Eastern

3- I don't speak English (yeah right)

4- I am migrant (yes I am)

5- I am not an Anglo migrant (correct again)

 

The OP has mentioned some good points here but instead of reading and understanding where he comes from some of you that know better attack his points based only on your experience or the fact that you want SA to stay the same and not to progress just like the conservative councils and government like it. You mention in your posts that part of the reason you like SA is because you like living in acres of land. Fair enough but that doesn't make the problems in the state to go away!

Many have said that they want their children to enjoy childhood here and then decide if they want to stay or not! Now this, this amazes me in a way and since I'm not married and have no children please do not get offended or take me seriously on this issue. If you are so sure to think that once your children are of an age they will move interstate or internationally in search of better job prospects and a lifestyle they can't have here in SA, why stay in SA? I'm only asking and am curious. Why are so many parents sacrificing their lives, youth and jobs just so that their children will enjoy lives just like we did? Are they really? No video games and all?

 

I believe many migrants give SA a go and get used to it. Get used to the suburbs, the slow pace of life and can't imagine and go through another big move interstate. If you like living in SA that is personal but please do not fight the stats and the truth of the state. I've met many people here and they all tell me the same thing. Adelaide has not changed one bit in so many years. Oh yeah, the Fringe is on longer these days!

 

As for me, I'm not happy with the job scene here. After 10 years of top level management I ended up working in a convenience store for 7 months. Was made redundant as they sold and closed down their businesses. Now I'm only working Fridays and Saturdays serving Yiros and cleaning tables. And yes, I'm 35. And before I forget, Middle Easterns gave me both jobs. Now my only hope is a security license that I should get my hands on soon and see if after 10-11 months I can at last get a full time job or not. Friends have told me to forget about the state sponsorship and move to another state. I come from an honor sort of society. I will stay in Adelaide until I get PR and if by then I haven't fallen in love with a girl that wants to stay here or if I haven't made myself financially sound I will bow and say goodbye and good luck to everyone that wants to stay in a state that doesn't want change!

 

Sorry it was long, boring and not like me.

 

Cheers,

 

Ali

 

Ali, your experience is all too familiar to me. I have had many great friends in Adelaide over the years. Here is what happened to some of them and their background, education and where they ended up eventually

 

Aussie, mechanical engineering, Melbourne, got a job in his field

Aussie, Greek origin, chemical engineer, got a job in sydney in his field

Aussie, Hungarian origin, electrical engineer, got a job in sydney in his field

Romanian, civil engineer, stayed in Adelaide works as a bus driver

5 Phd doctorate Africans, specialty in geology, geophysics, all left Adelaide ended up in Perth, Sydney and one in tassie, all got jobs in their fields, university jobs

egyptian, dentist, stayed in Adelaide works as a taxi driver

chinese Cambodian, librarian, stayed in Adelaide works as a truck driver

A few more moved interstate where they got jobs in the police force, accountancy etc

I can list more but wont. With the exception of the Romanian and Egyptian the rest all have Aussie qualifications.

 

ofcourse this list is anecdotal but what do they all have in common? We all know.

 

all I can say is, don't waste any more time in Adelaide!

Edited August 22, 2013 by Dion

[adelaidenow]

Dion, did a Adelaide girl dump you? Your bitterness towards a city is unhealthy, get some help.

 

Cheers

[Guest Dion]

Hello everyone,

 

Interesting thread .... although I think there are so many variables which can affect individual perspectives of living somewhere - wherever in the world it may be - there will never be a one size fits all view. Diane's recent post really resonated for me on a personal level, and refers to some of the main reasons my husband and I plan to emigrate around this time next year to Adelaide - by then with a very new baby too!

 

We were actually over on a reccie this time last year to activate our PR visas, and after a lot of prior research and network building from the UK, we both spent 2 of our 6 day visit meeting with potential employers and recruitment agencies in our respective fields. Ironically my employment prospects are better in Adelaide than they now are in the north of England, and my husband's are just as good. I've been use to living with bad economic and employment statistics for years now living in Newcastle, but i've still always found decent work in my profession - and appreciate how lucky i've been. But the cost of living in the UK and finding a good job in the North East is getting tougher and tougher, so for me, the prospect of going into a challenging employment market is not so daunting. And in our particular professions, employment prospects are no better or worse in Sydney or Melbourne than in Adelaide. But that's just us .... and of course the quality of life we'll be able to afford in Adelaide, rather than the larger better known cities in Oz appeals to us more. In fact we also had the opportunity of state sponsorship for VIC but decided on SA instead for this reason. Worst case scenario, if things don't work out this way, we'll move after 2 years.

 

Personally i've always preferred to live in a medium size city, but enjoy visiting larger cities - often for work or for a weekend visiting friends/shopping! The proximity of Adelaide to Melbourne and relatively low cost of flying there appeals to me for a city fix, and Sydney isn't too far away either by Oz standards to visit friends there.

 

We both really like Australia - feel ready for a change - and as we fast approach 40, think we're lucky to have such a great opportunity at this stage in our life. We'll do everything we can to make it work for us.

 

My own opinion of course but I would not classify Adelaide as a medium size city. Rather a small size city.

 

Imo Brisbane and Perth with a pop of close to 2 million are medium sized.

 

then Melbourne and Sydney which are bigger.

 

Agiain my own opinion but Perth and Brisbane sized cities are the best as they have enough employment opportunities without the large population pressures of Sydney and Melbourne.

[Blossom]

Greater Adelaide is the same size as greater Manchester (about). Sure it has less people, but it certainly isn't a small city.

[Guest Dion]

Dion, did a Adelaide girl dump you? Your bitterness towards a city is unhealthy, get some help.

 

Cheers

 

Thats a cheap shot. I am happily married with a young family. I do like Adelaide, however it has issues that people should be aware of. I still have friends and relatives there and speak to them often. I'd like to take my children there one day and show them where I grew up and went to school.

 

Anyway I don't have anything else to add to this thread.

[Guest Guest12727]

OK guys,

 

Cheers,

 

Ali

 

Hi Ali,

Please don't feel your lack of finding work in your field is anything personal. I work with loads of people from all nationalities and backgrounds and enjoy the mix of cultures. It makes life and work interesting and stimulating. I work in one of the Unis and there are many PhDs and other well qualified and talented people who have moved to Adelaide and found good work.

Have you met with an employment consultant to go over your CV? If not I would advise you to do this. What employers are looking for in a CV these days is different than even a few years ago.

I am not sure the situation will be that different in other states, all are facing economic downturn. However, as a single bloke, there is nothing stopping you from testing the waters in other states if you want to. You can apply for jobs anywhere and see if it is any different for yourself.

Please don't give up on Adelaide just yet - give it s bit more time and hopefully you will find her good to you, as she is to many others.

Good luck

[geoffuZz]

OK guys,

 

Time to put in my two-bits worth of self centered ideas regarding this thread. I have been here in Adelaide 10 months (yesterday) and the reason I chose SA over VC was the fact that my skills and experience were highly sought for or that is what the SA government lead me to believe. I have received more than 400 rejection letters in 10 months. Lets try and brainstorm and see what the reasons might be:

 

1-Maybe I'm not qualified (why the hell did AIM successfully assess my qualifications and work experience then?)

2- My name is Ali (I'm not Alison) and I'm Middle Eastern

3- I don't speak English (yeah right)

4- I am migrant (yes I am)

5- I am not an Anglo migrant (correct again)

 

The OP has mentioned some good points here but instead of reading and understanding where he comes from some of you that know better attack his points based only on your experience or the fact that you want SA to stay the same and not to progress just like the conservative councils and government like it. You mention in your posts that part of the reason you like SA is because you like living in acres of land. Fair enough but that doesn't make the problems in the state to go away!

Many have said that they want their children to enjoy childhood here and then decide if they want to stay or not! Now this, this amazes me in a way and since I'm not married and have no children please do not get offended or take me seriously on this issue. If you are so sure to think that once your children are of an age they will move interstate or internationally in search of better job prospects and a lifestyle they can't have here in SA, why stay in SA? I'm only asking and am curious. Why are so many parents sacrificing their lives, youth and jobs just so that their children will enjoy lives just like we did? Are they really? No video games and all?

 

I believe many migrants give SA a go and get used to it. Get used to the suburbs, the slow pace of life and can't imagine and go through another big move interstate. If you like living in SA that is personal but please do not fight the stats and the truth of the state. I've met many people here and they all tell me the same thing. Adelaide has not changed one bit in so many years. Oh yeah, the Fringe is on longer these days!

 

As for me, I'm not happy with the job scene here. After 10 years of top level management I ended up working in a convenience store for 7 months. Was made redundant as they sold and closed down their businesses. Now I'm only working Fridays and Saturdays serving Yiros and cleaning tables. And yes, I'm 35. And before I forget, Middle Easterns gave me both jobs. Now my only hope is a security license that I should get my hands on soon and see if after 10-11 months I can at last get a full time job or not. Friends have told me to forget about the state sponsorship and move to another state. I come from an honor sort of society. I will stay in Adelaide until I get PR and if by then I haven't fallen in love with a girl that wants to stay here or if I haven't made myself financially sound I will bow and say goodbye and good luck to everyone that wants to stay in a state that doesn't want change!

 

Sorry it was long, boring and not like me.

 

Cheers,

 

Ali

 

I looked back and see that you are on a 175 visa - is this right? If yes, then why stick at it for so long in South Australia where to me it doesn't seem to be working for you? Can't you just move to a state which may offer better opportunities in your profession? I am arriving on a 190 visa which was sponsored by SA, but if I see that I cannot support my family or offer them the standard of life that they deserve, I will not think twice about it - and I am well within my rights to do so.

Of course, I am going to give it a go (and live up to my "morale obligation") and one thing that is constant in all the threads is the fact that South Australia is great for raising a family and giving the kids a great upbringing..

 

IN 2 weeks we will be there too - and I cant wait to see the reality for myself.

 

Geoff.

[Toni]

Thats a cheap shot. I am happily married with a young family. I do like Adelaide, however it has issues that people should be aware of. I still have friends and relatives there and speak to them often. I'd like to take my children there one day and show them where I grew up and went to school.

 

Anyway I don't have anything else to add to this thread.

 

I enjoyed the thread and most of the other comments Dion were quite conversational and respectful. I had forgotten about the Lecornu site and it was interesting seeing Adelaide again with another set of eyes ......by someone who had left the state but obviously still had good feelings of the place. Adelaide is a nice place and I don't think anything you said was negative. Cheers

[Guest ColinOz]

Hi, I have to be honest, reading this thread has been really entertaining, informative and got me a little worried, I don't have an English name or surname, I will be arriving the first week of september. I know that moving to another country is not easy but did not thought that was going to be harder just because I don't fulfill a certain profile. Anyway good luck to everyone and see you in Adelaide

[zebedee]

The place I work for in the city has a decent mix of different people with all manner of backgrounds, I really shouldn't worry about it. You've only got to walk around the city and you see a healthy mix of culture and people - people who are clearly able to stay here and have good lives. I don't see any one actual shred of evidence to suggest that Adelaide in particular has a racism problem other than the background noise of a select bunch of idiots that you will get everywhere.

 

I would concur though that the job market is pretty small and Adelaide isn't really surrounded by very much other than countryside - there are no significant satellite towns so there is a little bit of luck involved but everyone in the IT field I know who has come over has done fine. Our own story has been really positive and I like it here and think it's a good place to be. The hardest bit is missing family.

 

Moving to a new country is a gamble for anyone brave enough to do it - and each country\city will have it's own challenges.

 

To the original poster - listing what has happened to a few of your mates is not sufficient evidence to suggest that people should not waste their time in Adelaide. It's a pointless statement but then again you having nothing more to say, I suspect because you have realized that you have tried to present your opinion has fact rather than just that - an opinion.

[Diane]

To all those saying "oh, no racism where I work" and "work is easy to get".... how about getting Ali an interview? Let's see a few people putting their money where their mouth is! He's an experienced, educated guy who I'm sure would be a great asset to any firm he works for. Unfortunately both firms I work for are really small, and struggling in the current economic climate, but those of you who say there are loads of people with non-english names working with you must work for sizeable companies....

[star123]

Not being able to secure work does not only apply to the Ali's, my oh has a very Australian name and cannot get ANY work, even though fully qualified for over 20 years....

[zebedee]

Yes I do work for a larger employer, and I will be happy enough to assist in helping him.

[Keith & Linda]

To all those saying "oh, no racism where I work" and "work is easy to get".... how about getting Ali an interview? Let's see a few people putting their money where their mouth is! He's an experienced, educated guy who I'm sure would be a great asset to any firm he works for. Unfortunately both firms I work for are really small, and struggling in the current economic climate, but those of you who say there are loads of people with non-english names working with you must work for sizeable companies....

 

I did not say there was no racism, and I have never said it was easy to get work, but I have said on previous post and threads rhat there is always work if you are willing to find it, it may not always be the ideal but it is work for the willing until maybe something more suitable to oneself comes to being. This is axactly what Ali has done so far.

 

I was just finding difficult, from my experience in OZ, to understand why the name was a hinderence, this is backed up by the names of people who work in the same company as I. Also Diane please remember some of the larger companies are also stuggling (and not getting handouts from the Gov either) in the present economic climate, therefor large does not necassary mean employment opportunity.

 

I am not exactly sure what line of work Ali is actually qualified/experienced in, so until I do I cannot offer any relative leads/advice, also I would assume that he would have read some of my other postings and have seen that I work in construction, thus if that is his field then again I am sure he would have contacted me somehow, like others have done.

 

So Diane unless you can offer Ali some work yourself, then I suggest you do not condemn others just because you think they should/could

 

I think we are all trying to give this guy some moral support here and that if anybody on this site could help in a more positive way then I am sure they would.

[sduffy]

Keith,i dont necessarily agree with your statement that there is always work if you are willing to find it,my 18yr old daughter has applied for hundreds of part time jobs in the last 15-18 months,without success.She is an intelligent young woman who goes to a private well regarded school.Up until her 16th birthday,she had a reasonable number of shifts at a well known store, but since turning 17 nothing,all because the hourly rates go up and the stores dont want to pay it.I have numerous friends in the uk whose kids only started their first saturday type jobs at 17 and 18,with no previous experience,even in a struggling climate.

 

My daughter is going to uni and desparately needsa part time job to help with the cost of it.She applied for a job at another very well known store which is opening shortly,to be told sorry all positions have been filled , 2 weeks later the same company were advertising on her school notice boards for 15-16 yr olds,for the said jobs.They use and abuse a lot of the employers here and take advantage particularly of younger people.

 

 

The problem i believe is that there are a lot of smaller employers who are accountable to no one and basically have license to treat people appallingly and as Jessica Berry on here says some of the stories she could tell,working in HR people would not believe.

 

Some people are lucky to go from a good job in uk to the same here.

 

 

In the uk people if they want a few part time hrs would get them no problem, here it is a very different story. When you have always been employed and then you struggle to find work,it effects your self esteem very badly and can in emigration terms destroy completely, or lessen the experience for the whole family.

 

From our experience here we have found that though we love Adelaide, in employment terms in a lot of fields there is plenty of talk and little action.

 

Sue

[zebedee]

"In the uk people if they want a few part time hrs would get them no problem, here it is a very different story."

 

That's a bit of a sweeping statement, and there are plenty of deprived areas or rural areas in the UK where that wouldn't be the case.

 

When I left University, it took many, many months before I gained employment - and that was as a manufacturing operative. It's not ideal for young people, but I don't think it's actually that much rosier in the UK. I worked for the Cornwall and Devon careers service which focused on 13 - 19 year old outcomes and they were flat out trying to help people. It wasn't a pretty picture.

 

It is interesting what you say about employment law and those are some of the things that I feel (not know for fact), are perhaps a bit behind the times here.

Edited August 23, 2013 by zebedee

[Keith & Linda]

Well Sue of 'sduffy', I never said it was easy, just that there is work for the willing. My wife and daughter both struggled when we first arrived in OZ, and found like you that the smaller employers and the odd larger one, were and are and do stuff that really stinks. I recall 2 adverts, the first was for a small bakery/cafe they wanted people whom were experienced in this that and the other! pay rate 'junior rates apply' how on earth a junior would be experienced I don't know:arghh:The second was actually IKEA, they wanted someone who could work partime, full days, part days, weekends, evenings and must be availablebe on a call!! they wanted you dangling on a string next to the telephone:realmad:. My daughter not knowing the casual system here thought she had a full time job as advertised, at the interview she was told the hours she would be expected to work etc then does 1 day and gets told ok we will call you when we need you next!!. My wife got a part time job suited her fine but the manageress kept messing with the hours to suit her social life, on one particular day her hours for the next day got changed 3 times, one of the changes was because she forgot her boyfriend was having the next afternoon off:confused:

 

So I do know it's not easy or nice, but it is possible, proven by the fact there are people on this site who have 2 or more jobs. I hope your daughter finds work soon and I wish her success in that and at Uni.

Keith

[Guest Rosy]

I question the title of this thread. "bleak" is a strong word!

 

That said, we do need to become more dynamic here and I think SA needs to grow its population to a level where we create our own energy, economically speaking. I heard an interesting quote regarding economic matters that said, "Size is a quality all its own". I don't know who said this, but it is something to think on.

 

Speaking of our alleged "subtle racism" I saw on ABC News 24 (two weeks ago) a very interesting piece of research. Google studied how different Australian states searched for information regarding asylum seekers, to determine how positively or negatively each state viewed them. South Australia came out as the state who viewed asylum seekers with the most positive search terms - for example we mostly search using the term "asylum seeker", whereas in WA (who came last) they search more often using terms like "illegals". I mention this because I personally think that in SA we are mostly an inclusive and welcoming bunch (yes, I may be biased, being an SA girl).

 

It pains me to hear that people come to SA full of hope only to find they can't get work, that must be awful. But I hope people will find that this is more often due to economic factors rather than racially based reasons. I dare to hope that more and more people will come to SA, despite our economy, to help us grow and provide jobs. My oh told me an interesting statistic that immigrants are more entrepreneurial than a country's base population - they are people with 'get-up-and go', just the sort of people we need here in SA. I guess it's all a chicken and egg problem - we need the people and the people need jobs..

 

Threads like this puzzle me, Adelaide is forever being criticized by our interstate brothers and sisters. We know we have issues here, but we are one country. How about a bit of support instead of the constant putdowns?

[Guest adelaideinjuly]

I would also like to share my story which is similar to Ali’s , we have immigrated from a middle east country , I am an engineer who was working as QA & HR manager , thought when I will come here I would accept to start in any entry level admin to secure cash , I was raised in an English school , came here to realize that i thought that I had a good language and all employers were making effort trying to understand me , I was shocked for a couple of month and then I started volunteering for a career consultant and then working and after putting this work experience and having her as a reference , I started working and getting good names on my cv , not permanent work but at least 2/3 of the year , my kids loved Adelaide but unfortunately we have to move to Melbourne as my husband whose English was intermediate and all his sales/management experience couldn’t be considered is looking into buying a private business in Melbourne risking our investments but this seems to be the only solution to secure him a decent job , last point we were state sponsored because my job “ QA manager “ was highly in demand in Adelaide (which is not the case) we completed the two years and added a year and half just because our kids enjoyed it here .

If you ask for my opinion , the government had made very good job in picking who to immigrate but had done nothing to make sure that they have equal opportunity to apply and be equally treated regardless of their accent and to encourage the culture of “yes they look different and you exert extra effort in understanding but they have lots of experience that you can benefit from” during all my working years in here , no one bothered to ask me for opinion/recommendation although I have extensive quality experience in more that one industry including software , I was just doing my work hearing them talking about things that they believe I know nothing which is not the case ) , yes I have seen companies with multicultural people but they are 5 % of the job market.

To be positive , I was always surrounded by people who could see the inside and helped me survive .

Another postive point this site has been more that useful for me and helped me all through the way

[sduffy]

Rosy,i think you make a very good point that immigrants may well be more entrepreneurial than a country's base population, but i personally know several uk people who have been in positions where they saw opportunities to make changes for the better for employer and employee ,but the resistance to change by higher management was such that they decided that it just wasnt feasible to initiate change, so they have moved to what they consider to be more enlightened employers in the eastern states.

 

Progression and flexibility is essential to success in the very changing world economic environment .I find Adelaide quite a paradox society,generous and giving in some areas,charity and volunteering, but in employment terms often protectionist and resistant to change.Instead of being resistant to change they should be embracing it and utilising the skills and experience of overseas immigrants who could help the state towards economic prosperity.

 

Adelaide is many respects a wonderful place to live ,but without a vibrant economy it will not flourish whilst such closemindness continues to permeate the place.Stagnant work practices will not help attract people to the state.Being in a nice place doesnt help pay the bills.

 

Sue

[Guest Rosy]

Thank you for the last two posts adelaideinjuly and sduffy - lots of food for thought there.

 

SA needs to have discussions like these. We can't invite people to emigrate here ands then say, "Oh it's all too hard, I can't understand that person" or "Oh it's all too hard, that person wants us to change". I cringe to think of all the good people we are letting slip through our fingers!

 

I hope people in government see threads like this. I was a bit cross with Dion for having a go at Adelaide before, I admit. But we clearly need to change here in SA and we need to face that. On the bright side, discussions like this can be the start of that change in culture.

[Guest ali]

Thank you Anne B, Petal38, Keith & Linda, Dion, Howde, geoffuZz, zebedee, Diane and everyone else for your support. I shouldn't hijack this thread and make it about me but I felt as if I needed to share my personal experience to validate some of the points made on this thread. Please understand that I'm still full of hope and will honor my moral obligations to the state and decide if I want to move interstate after that or not. The thing that many emigrants to this state or any other place have to understand in my opinion is to try their best but always have a backup plan. My backup plan will be moving interstate and yes it is easier for me because I'm by myself.

 

Some of you have sent me emails or messages telling me and letting me know that you want to help me find a suitable job. Thank you.

 

To everyone else, those of us that are struggling in a way or two, don't give up and stay strong. Live the dream even though sometimes along the way it might seem a bit bumpy.

 

Cheers and good luck to all of you,

 

Ali

[Guest davel]

Strangely, I've had a conversation with a Migration Agent in the last 3 days, and we are discussing how to make South Australia (not just Adelaide) attractive to migrants. The old saying, from when I lived in Whyalla in the 70's that South Australia starts at The Anzac Highway in Glenelg and ends at Gepps Cross, whilst a little tongue in cheek, does hold some modern day recognition status. Furthermore, the advertising on UK TV for Australia is really a waste of Australian tapayers money, because nearly 99% of the world's population will have heard of/seen pictures of Sydney Harbour Bridge, The Opera House, Uluru, The Great Coast Road and The Great Barrier Reef. It's the lesser known areas that require exposure.

[Diane]

Strangely, I've had a conversation with a Migration Agent in the last 3 days, and we are discussing how to make South Australia (not just Adelaide) attractive to migrants. The old saying, from when I lived in Whyalla in the 70's that South Australia starts at The Anzac Highway in Glenelg and ends at Gepps Cross, whilst a little tongue in cheek, does hold some modern day recognition status. Furthermore, the advertising on UK TV for Australia is really a waste of Australian tapayers money, because nearly 99% of the world's population will have heard of/seen pictures of Sydney Harbour Bridge, The Opera House, Uluru, The Great Coast Road and The Great Barrier Reef. It's the lesser known areas that require exposure.

 

It's not for migration, more for tourists, but SA Tourism have sponsored the Barmy Army Ashes trumpeter to wear his SA T-shirt at all the matches apparently - every time there is an international cricket match at Adelaide Oval all the commentators wax lyrical about how beautiful it is, so hopefully that will raise the profile a little - among cricket watchers anyway!

 

IMHO it's about time the Department of Immigration separated metro Adelaide from rural SA in terms of points. Many jobs may well be needed in rural areas, but not in metro areas, and the majority of British migrants that come still don't really want to go and live somewhere really rural

[adelaidenow]

Back to racism in the workplace, the only real proof about it is to send 2 applications in, one as yourself with non Anglo Saxon name, and then one with a non 'Ethnic' one. If one gets an interview and one doesn't, then you know it's because of your background that you have not been short listed.