The Truth About Starting Work In A New Country.
Why People Seek Work In A New Country.
Why do Caterpillar, Komatsu and other OEM Trained and Experienced Heavy Equipment Technicians, Auto-Electricians and Technical Trainers seek to relocate to work in another country?
Ask that question of any candidate and you’ll usually get an answer like “seeking new challenges”, or “to work in your company to learn new skills”, or something along these lines.
There are actually many different reasons why a worker wants to work in another country. But the main reasons are probably these two:-
Money
Better life for the workers family
Let’s explore these reasons.
Simply Wanting Money
Workers in some parts of the world have been paid a fraction of what workers in other parts of the world are paid, for essentially doing the same job, the same tasks, and under worse conditions..
And for some people, money is their driver. They want as much money as possible, they want to work as many hours as possible, as short an RNR break as possible – they just want money.
Do not judge the people that have money as their driver – you have not lived their life, you cannot know why they have such desire for money, you just have to accept that is their driver, and their reason for going to work in a different country.
Seeking a Better life for the Workers Family
And then there are workers that are trying to balance everything in life.
They want to provide for their family, they desire to give their children the best education possible, to ensure they provide access to the best health care for their spouse and children and they want to provide a brighter future for their children and god willing their grandchildren.
They are seeking generational change for their family.
People Seeking Generational Change For Their Family Face Enormous Pressures
People Seeking Generational Change For Their Family, with this as their driver to seek employment in another country, for them this driver is very powerful.
And the desire to try and achieve all that the worker seeks for their family, puts enormous pressure on the worker. Pressure that the vast majority of people simply will not understand.
These workers are dedicated to their jobs, they have probably been working so hard, for so long in their home country, laser like focus on being the best worker they can be to be the provider. That they have forgotten what they personally used to enjoy doing in their spare time. Because they have forgotten what “spare time” even means.
They have the mind set to always do great work, because great work ensures job satisfaction and job security and job security ensures a future for the family.
But each day they carry this perceived load, the destiny of their families future lays in their hands, they carry this responsibility, it is their mission in life.
To provide a better life for their family.
Utopia – A Job In A New Country – Everything Will Be Roses and Champagne Now!
Finally that day comes! The worker is offered a position in another country, not only that – but they don’t have to pay any fees, the worker pays no costs, have no high interest loan to repay, and they will be working a Fly In Fly Out (FIFO) roster.
This is it – the worker believes everything he has worked for is about to bear fruit!
Working FIFO – The Reality For A Worker In A New Country
Working a Fly In Fly Out (FIFO) roster as a newly arrived worker from overseas, is different for a worker that has lived in the country for years and years. Very different, with complex issues that are rarely considered by others.
For example:-
A FIFO worker that has lived in the country for years and years, maybe even born there, grew up there. Will generally have somewhere to call home where they return to after each roster (Swing), and they probably have friends they have known for a long time in the area, in the street even. Possibly family to return to, maybe a car or bike to get around on their time off, to visit others they know.
They are generally settled, not all of course, but generally they are. If they were born in the country, there is a fair chance that they either own or are buying their own home, maybe they even own an investment property as well. And they have some semblance of a routine on their downtime.
But the FIFO worker that has newly arrived from another country has none of this.
When a FIFO worker goes on their break, they are going to somewhere that has no family, no long term friends, no routine, nothing.. They are simply away from their work for the duration of the down time and all they have is time and money.
Let’s explore that deeper – The worker wants to save as much as they can to send money home to their family and also to prepare for their family’s arrival in the new country.
Yet all around them, they are surrounded by temptation and peer pressure.
Maybe co-workers offering to take a worker out on the town for a few beers one night – how does the worker react to any offer like that? It could cost a lot of money to go out in a major city in a country like Australia or Canada for a night out – money that could be saved for the family – but how do they turn down the offer from the co-worker, what if the co-worker is offended and never asks again. So many thoughts, so much peer pressure. Be it perceived or real, the effect is the same – mental strain.
What about all the free time, what does a worker do on their down time?
Maybe some people might say go and explore places, live a little see the world.
This can lead to thoughts of “I want to explore these places for the first time with my family, I want to experience it for the first time with them”.
Which can then of course lead the workers mind to feelings of loneliness and serve as a reminder that their family is not with them, they are on the other side of the world.
Look After Yourself – And Look Out For Your Mates
For newly arrived FIFO workers from another country – you need to look after yourself. You need to be mindful that YOU need to LOOK AFTER YOU FIRST, try and ensure you eat healthily, try and cook where you can, forget fast food – it’s expensive and it’s far better for you financially and Healthwise if you can just grab something from a market and cook it yourself. You have plenty of time on your down time, use the time to learn to cook, there’s plenty of easy cook meal recipes on YouTube. You can do it, kill some time and learn new cooking skills.
Try and watch your alcohol intake, every drink is expensive, it’s money that could be saved for when your family arrives.
When the walls are closing in, when cabin fever strikes, try going for a walk, take a hat, take some water, take a stroll, get some fresh air – anything to get the body moving and break up the boredom. It’s free, it’s healthy, it might help take your mind off things, which even just for a few minutes might be all you need that day.
On the days you feel great, what are your mates from your home country that are with you feeling like? Are you watching out for them? Have you asked them R U OK, have you talked to them about the pressure they face, you might find they face the same issues you do, and by talking about it, you might make it easier for you all to cope.
Working in a new country is a team effort – it is not a solo job. Look out for others, let them help you if you need it.
The Future – It Is Why We Do It
Now we get to the reason we do it – the future.
Can you picture those days when you and your partner are just watching your kids play and enjoy their new life?
Can you picture your partner and you at the graduation ceremony of your children? Your children graduating from University or simply celebrating their first day at school in a new country.
What about riding bikes by the water with not a care in the world, you, your family, all together in the next chapter of the amazing life that YOU worked so hard to achieve. Your partner and children don’t want a flash new car, they just want you, they won’t care about expensive sunglasses or designer clothes. These are material goods that will quickly lose their shine – you however will always be the mum or the dad, or the son, or the daughter or the brother or the sister that someone will look up to forever.
A better future for your family, that’s why you wanted to work in a new country, and you are one step closer every day.
You can do this!
