Construction & Civil Job Seekers 🇦🇺

Not Much Aussie Experience? Try This!

If you have 485, 189, 190, 500, 491, 191, 482, 186 Visa

Hey, It's Methsara here from DreamShift :)

Since you are looking for Construction & Civil Engineering Jobs, we gathered as many resources as possible to help your job search! Here's Something you need to know:

Let's think you are applying for 100 Jobs on LinkedIn & Seek: Unfortunately, around 65% of the jobs you apply will get rejected.

That is the reality of Australian Job Market for Migrants! But don't worry, you still have around 35 jobs you can apply for and land interviews! For these 35 Jobs, you will be competing with other Migrants like you.

If you can do the following things, you can increase your chances of landing Interviews!

01 — Strategy

Passion Projects

Watch this first

*Tip: Try to do a passion project based on your target city or state, because recruiters can relate to it more easily.

A passion project looks different depending on your role. Here are some examples:

Civil / Design / Structural Engineer - Create a small design portfolio using AutoCAD, Revit or Civil 3D based on an Australian location.
Quantity Surveyor / Estimator - Do a mock cost estimate or tender for a real local project you find online with Australian rates.
Project Manager - Create a mock project schedule and risk register for a real infrastructure project in your target city.
Contracts Administrator / Drafter - Prepare a set of contract documents or drawings for a fictional small project using Australian standards.

Here's a simple guide on how to get started:

Step 01

Go to ChatGPT (or any AI tools you use), upload your CV, and clearly mention your job preferences, like the job titles you're targeting, the location, and the industry.

Step 02

Once you've shared those details, use this prompt:

"Suggest me online passion project ideas I can do to build my portfolio as a [your role] targeting jobs in [your city/state], Australia. The projects should show I understand Australian standards, local conditions and industry practices."

Step 03

Go through the ideas, brainstorm, pick the best one, tweak it based on your preferences, and start working on it.

Step 04

As soon as you start, add it as an ongoing project. You don't have to wait until it's fully completed. Ongoing projects actually work better than listing them as finished ones.

02 — Strategy

Online Courses & Certifications

You have 3 Options

TAFE NSW - Practical, industry-focused courses from a recognised Australian provider.

TAFE Courses - Compare TAFE courses and find options available across Australia.

Best Option - Coursera

Courses from universities
For 25 USD monthly subscription you can do 10,000+ courses

If you are into Civil / Design Engineer Roles:

Construction Project Management Construction Scheduling BIM Fundamentals for Engineers Autodesk Civil 3D Fundamentals Revit Fundamentals

If you are into Project Management Roles:

Construction Project Management Construction Scheduling Construction Finance Project Management Principles and Practices

If you are into Quantity Surveying / Estimating:

Construction Cost Estimating and Cost Control Construction Finance Construction Management Fundamentals

If you are into BIM / Drafting:

BIM Fundamentals (Autodesk - free) Revit Architecture Fundamentals (free student access) Navisworks Fundamentals (free student access)

For in-person construction training:

Builders Academy Australia (not online)

View all Columbia University construction courses
Get free Autodesk student access
Get Procore certified
Engineers Australia Skills Assessment

03 — Strategy

Volunteering

Yes, Volunteering! Aussie recruiters say they love migrants who have done volunteering because it shows that you are actively contributing to Australian communities.

Here's something good to know - it doesn't have to be construction volunteering specifically. Any community contribution counts. Recruiters care that you are showing up, getting involved, and connecting with Australian communities. That's what matters.

We recently had multiple clients like you who got volunteer roles and landed jobs faster because of it. Also the best part is that recruiters will think that you are a nice person 🙂

Watch this first

There are 3 main volunteer options:

01 Habitat for Humanity Australia

02 Seek Volunteer

03 GoVolunteer

Both of the sites have volunteering opportunities from one time ones to long term projects. But you can also find opportunities relevant to construction here :)

04 — Strategy

Networking Events

A Huge Mistake, migrants make is staying in their own circles after coming to Australia. Don't be that guy!

Go to as many Construction & Civil networking events as possible, talk to more Aussies in the industry, because referrals can help you land jobs much faster (Referrals can almost guarantee you interviews if your CV is good)

Here are the main ways to find Construction & Civil Networking Opportunities in Australia

Vartas

Other places to keep an eye on

01 Civil Contractors Federation - Western Australia

02 Australan Constructors Association

03 Trade Earthmovers

Look for events, local chapters, breakfast sessions, trade expos, CPD nights, and industry meetups in your target city.

Before You Go

Apply for 50 Jobs in just 10h!
Want to know how?

After helping 200+ Aussie Migrants to land job interviews we have created this strategy!