DV lottery, exam certificates

[Hammy]

On reading through the dv lottery FAQ's it states " documentary proof of education or work experience must be presented to the consular officer at the time of the visa interview"
38 years down the line I don't have my certificates from school anymore, what should I do if I get as far as an interview?

[Fatbrit]

Originally Posted by Hammy

On reading through the dv lottery FAQ's it states " documentary proof of education or work experience must be presented to the consular officer at the time of the visa interview"
38 years down the line I don't have my certificates from school anymore, what should I do if I get as far as an interview?

What did you do in life?

[Hammy]

Originally Posted by Fatbrit

What did you do in life?

I completed a four year apprenticeship as a mechanical engineer with a lift (elevator) company where I stayed for 17 years until they went out of business. As part of my training I learnt to run Lathes, Milling machines, Surface grinders and welding. I then and still do work for a print company (21 years to date approx) I have been trained and do operate a Guillotine, folding machine, stitching machine and forklift truck also occasionally I do a little maintenace. With the exception of the forklift truck license I dont have certificates for the work I do now. We are a small company and when we get a new machine the installers show us how to use it and we get on with it.

[Fatbrit]

Originally Posted by Hammy

I completed a four year apprenticeship as a mechanical engineer with a lift (elevator) company where I stayed for 17 years until they went out of business. As part of my training I learnt to run Lathes, Milling machines, Surface grinders and welding. I then and still do work for a print company (21 years to date approx) I have been trained and do operate a Guillotine, folding machine, stitching machine and forklift truck also occasionally I do a little maintenace. With the exception of the forklift truck license I dont have certificates for the work I do now. We are a small company and when we get a new machine the installers show us how to use it and we get on with it.

Relevant parts from the instructions copied below for you. If you can't prove the education, you've got to prove the employment part. Whether or not your job qualifies, I do not know -- follow the instructions to look it up.

-----------------

To enter the lottery, you must meet either the education or work experience requirement of the DV program: You must have either a high school education or its equivalent, defined as successful completion of a 12-year course of elementary and secondary education; OR two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience to perform. The U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net OnLine database will be used to determine qualifying work experience.


What Occupations qualify for the DV Program?
To determine eligibility based on work experience, definitions from the Department of Labor’s (DOL) O*Net OnLine database will be used. The O*Net Online Database groups job experience into five job zones.
While many occupations are listed on the DOL Website, only certain specified occupations qualify for the DV Program. To qualify for a DV on the basis of your work experience, you must have, within the past five years, two years of experience in an occupation that is designated as Job Zone 4 or 5, classified in a Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) range of 7.0 or higher.

How Do I Find the Qualifying Occupations on the Department of Labor Website?
Qualifying DV Occupations are shown on the DOL O*Net Online Database. Follow these steps to find out if your occupation qualifies: Select Find Occupations and then select a specific Job Family. For example, select Architecture and Engineering and click GO. Then click on the link for the specific Occupation.
Following the same example, click Aerospace Engineers. After selecting a specific Occupation link, select the tab Job Zone to find out the designated Job Zone number and Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) rating range.

[Hammy]

Originally Posted by Fatbrit

Relevant parts from the instructions copied below for you. If you can't prove the education, you've got to prove the employment part. Whether or not your job qualifies, I do not know -- follow the instructions to look it up.

-----------------

To enter the lottery, you must meet either the education or work experience requirement of the DV program: You must have either a high school education or its equivalent, defined as successful completion of a 12-year course of elementary and secondary education; OR two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience to perform. The U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net OnLine database will be used to determine qualifying work experience.


What Occupations qualify for the DV Program?
To determine eligibility based on work experience, definitions from the Department of Labor’s (DOL) O*Net OnLine database will be used. The O*Net Online Database groups job experience into five job zones.
While many occupations are listed on the DOL Website, only certain specified occupations qualify for the DV Program. To qualify for a DV on the basis of your work experience, you must have, within the past five years, two years of experience in an occupation that is designated as Job Zone 4 or 5, classified in a Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) range of 7.0 or higher.

How Do I Find the Qualifying Occupations on the Department of Labor Website?
Qualifying DV Occupations are shown on the DOL O*Net Online Database. Follow these steps to find out if your occupation qualifies: Select Find Occupations and then select a specific Job Family. For example, select Architecture and Engineering and click GO. Then click on the link for the specific Occupation.
Following the same example, click Aerospace Engineers. After selecting a specific Occupation link, select the tab Job Zone to find out the designated Job Zone number and Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) rating range.

Thanks again for your help Fatbrit, the lottery isnt looking good for me. I understand the need to be thorough but its a little annoying that I have the skills and the years of experience but not the paperwork.

[Fatbrit]

Originally Posted by Hammy

Thanks again for your help Fatbrit, the lottery isnt looking good for me. I understand the need to be thorough but its a little annoying that I have the skills and the years of experience but not the paperwork.

If your employer can write a suitable job description, I don't see the embassy getting too detailed about this.