If you have a building trade such as carpentry, Australia can be a great place to head for a working holiday. Building trades are in consistently high demand, meaning you can either save some money or earn high day rates and work less to have a great lifestyle. Here are some tips to make the job search go as easily as possible. 

Contact labour hire agencies before you leave

Before you leave, it's worth contacting some labour hire and recruitment agencies to work out which areas have the most work available for your particular trade. You should also ask what evidence they need of your qualifications in your home country, as you may need to bring certification from your college or institution to show that you have your qualification. Some sites may need qualifications such as industry specific OH&S courses, but many courses can be done online, and you can complete them before you leave for Australia. This will make it as easy as possible for a recruiter to get you onto site quickly. 

Bring your gear with you

While it might seem like a pain to bring your gear with you, it can be expensive to rebuy tools and work boots and in many cases, you need to have these items before you can start working. It can be worth contacting your airline and asking if they have options for transporting extra items such as tools, or sending the tools ahead of you by air freight. 

Be flexible

Even if you've previously worked on very specific jobs, it's useful to be open to the different jobs that a labour hire agency might send you out for. Not only will this help you to form new professional networks in Australia but it may also help you to observe some ways that work sites operate differently in Australia than in some other countries. For example plastering, cornicing, and plasterboard usage varies a lot in different climates so working on different sites can give you a chance to learn and adapt to the new environment. 

If you are looking to come on a working holiday and have a building trade, Australia is a great place to visit. If you do some research before you come by talking to labour hire agencies, planning your visit to places that have a robust building sector, and packing the correct equipment you should be able to get to work as quickly as possible.