[Magsnags]

Hi, my name is Maggie and I am desperately hopeful that me and my family can come to NZ, and have wanted to come for a few years. My husband has worked 23 years for the railway (biggest commuter railway in Europe), his job is very specialist but unfortunately won't get us into NZ, as it is clerical although we are planning to send his CV to TollNZ and Viola in the new year, just in case. He has no qualifications other than the work based ones he has done over the years. I too was an office worker prior to having my first chid so have no qualifications but am now training as a breastfeeding counsellor, I have 4 more exams to go before I qualify - should be in May (it's a 2 year course). I also have been working with my local health centre for the last 2 years seeing new mums with babies and doing antenatal class's for them.

We have two young children 7 and about to turn 4.

We have a small mortgage and should make enough money on our house to buy outright. We also have distant family in Auckland - we can't use those to sponsor us but they will help in any way they can - including putting us up if a job came up there until we could buy a house. We also have a friend in Auckland and one of my best friends moves to Palmerston North in January.

Our ages are also against us slightly, I am 42 - 43 in Nov and my husband will be 40 in Nov.

This would be a one way journey, we don't intend coming back and we are not risk takers, we would not dream of going unless we had a permanent residency and one or both of us has a job to go to.

My question's are

1) Do you think I could get a job as a breastfeeding counsellor there as this job does not appear on the skills shortage list? Does anyone on here work in the new mum/baby role and can advise me which way to go? I am happy to undertake whatever training can help.

2) How can we improve our chances? We did an on line assesement but were told it would be extremly unlikely we would get into NZ at this time - though I pray my qualification might add a few extra points on. By the way, I don't know how far away we were - they never said. However time (and ages) are not on our side, I ideally want to go before my daughter is 10 - she is 8 in March

3) Does anyone on here work for TollNZ or Violla? If we can get to know someone who works for either of these we can see if my husband has any chance at all in getting a job offer

Sorry this is such an epic

Thankyou

Magsnags

[Diny]

Mags .... first of all welcome to the forum. I haven't got any pearls of wisdom for you but I can guarantee somebody will be along real soon who can help.

As far as a job for you ..... have you heard of the Plunkett Society over here, they may be able to help.

I know alot of people on this forum started their quest to get to NZ by being told they don't have a cat in hells chance - don't take it as read that you won't manage to realise your dream. Where there's a will there's a way and stacks of people on here will be able to give you lots of helpful advice.

Good luck .... see you soon.

[Angie and Mick]

HI

I certainly would not be put of by your age, I am 42 next and other half 41. Do a on line assessment to see what points you would get, then see what you would need to do to get the extra points, ie job offer or look at qualification needed.
Do no not give up.

Good Luck.

[sarahw]

Hi,

As Diny says, contact Plunket - every area has a lactation consultant so you should be right there. Have you thought of contacting the regional railways as well? Tranzmetro is our local one to Welly.

Cheers

[sarahw]

Ooh also, Parents Centre - I think its a nationwide organisation - they do antenatal & parenting courses & their head office is in Mana, just down the road from us. Would be worth contacting them too.

[ellenmelon]

hi there,
i sent you a PM with my mums email address. she is a recently graduated midwife but has taught antenatal classes and the like for as long as i can remember so will be able to give you some advice as to the best places to get work in that area..

:)

[Magsnags]

Thankyouall so much for your help, I contacted Plunket and they have suggested La Leche League - which we have here too and it seems that in order to get the best chance of employment I may have to look at training as a lactation consultant which could add another year onto our time scale, but it was something I was looking at doing anyway :D .
Transmetro is owned by TollNz it seems and my husband has already been in touch with them as he saw a job on the vacancy list, it had been re-advertised 3 times so he thought he'd give it a try, he didn't get it but it means they have his details on file. We are in the process of re-doing our cv's NZ style - thank goodness for my friend who has already been through that and gave us the lowdown on the paperwork side of things.
I will keep you posted, you are certainly stuck with me now :laugh, you are such a lovely group of people and I have given the site details to my friend who comes out next year, I'm sure she'll be on here too before too long.
Maggie