Gas safe course portfolio advice

Hi, I’m looking to retrain as a gas engineer and do a new entrants gas course.

I’m a bit concerned by the ‘on-job’ work experience/shadowing, as some course want to charge £1500 to pair you up with a qualified engineer. Some courses don’t offer pairing and suggest you find your own engineer to shadow but I don’t have anyone obvious to ask. I’d rather not find an extra £1500 if there’s another option.

I’m a few months away from beginning a course but I wanted to find out whether there are potential ways of finding someone willing to take me out regularly to complete my portfolio.

I’m 40 years old, based near Southend, Essex. I’m happy to travel to get the experience. Once qualified, I’m hoping to pick up self-employed gas engineer work.

If anyone has any advice on finding potential people or might know someone suitable, I’d be really grateful.

Hi sir i don't suggest you go out on your own from the start it's incredibly hard and you will come across situations in which you will have no idea what to do. get employed by a company mate, and with the portfolio email and call plumbing companies i had to email and phone 100 companies and i only found 1 to help me