Becoming a gas engineer- Is it worth it? hwo best to go about it?

[supremo]

I am thinking that this question has already been asked about a million times on here but I have been on this site for half an hour looking and cant see any.

There is an advert in the Daily Record (Scottish paper) for a 28 week full time gas engineer course starting on the 5th of March. I have recently been made unemployed and I am looking for a new career.

It says that on completion of the course you will be a fully qualified gas engineer.

However, I am aware that I would have very little chance of being employed upon completion as I would have little experience.

Every new training scheme has the same problem though- need experiece for employment. I have looked into HGV driving but it is the same, and I would probably rather be a gas engineer due to the working hours and being inside and in contact with people.

Would you advise doing such a course?

 

[SimonJohns]

In a word

No

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

in another similer sounding word
no,its not the start up costs are obscene and no ones making any money

 

[scotty plumber]

They are just after your money and try to reward you with a certificate rather than trying to learn you

 

[scotty plumber]

There are too many of these courses going around

 

[AlexGas]

...If you want to be a gas engineer - be a gas engineer! Problem? What's the problem?!
If you want to be a HGV driver - be a HGV driver! Someone's gonna do it.
I guess it all depends on how much you want it. Or you could be a taxi driver - inside and in contact with people... You can be anything you want. The choice is yours. You have to be positive, hard-working and ambitious, with a desire to succeed.
Hope you gonna find the answer. All the best.

 

[mountainman]

As has been said, getting qualified is the easy part (tho not easy in itself) the hard part is gaining experience.

Look at job sites and gov.co.uk and see what employers want for what they are willing to pay.
The minimum wanted is be GS registered with own van, tools (inc Gas Analyser) and PL insurance,at least £2000 spent there without the van.
Add to that Unvented HW, LPG, Part P electrical which leads you onto a BS7671 course and obligatory 17th edition tester (a mere £600).

Before long you'll have spent £5k and still have no experience.

I'm not trying to be funny; but my local window cleaner seems to be working every day and his outlay: Cheap van, Ladder, Bucket and a couple of tools.

Which one of us is the fool? (answers on a postcard to....)

 

[smileyplumber]

recon theres more plumbers per head per capita than punters these days :35:

 

[PlumbBobBob]

i think you're right there smiley

 

[Halesowen1]

Its hard going at the minute, last year I was booking jobs in weeks in advance, sometimes 6 weeks or so. But the last few months are my leanest ever. Seriously thinking of packing it in and going to work with a pal. He owns his own business nothing to do with Gas, but has offered me a decent little job.
SO again in a word NO, its flooded with plumbers/gas men.

 

[mountainman]

Its hard going at the minute, last year I was booking jobs in weeks in advance, sometimes 6 weeks or so. But the last few months are my leanest ever. Seriously thinking of packing it in and going to work with a pal. He owns his own business nothing to do with Gas, but has offered me a decent little job.
SO again in a word NO, its flooded with plumbers/gas men.

Does your pal need two bods, I'm a quick learner and have my own bucket ;-)

 

[AlexGas]

That's the way to go:

BBC - Women's plumbers proving popular

 

[AlexGas]

Pink Lady Plumbing

 

[AlexGas]

Here's one more:

BBC - BBC Three - Blog: Up for Hire: How to be a... plumber

NVQ Level 6! She's got it!

 

[supremo]

The industry I have just left has no vacancies for full time positions and things are going to get worse. When I look at HGV driving folk say the same things- no experience then no job. I am assuming every area of employment is going to be the same- I have a few grand sitting but I dont want to waste it on living costs. I am thinking I need to retrain and accept I'll struggle for work.

Surely I'd be better off being an under employed gass engineer looking for experience than anything else?
Its got to pick up some time in the future surely? and then I'd be in a position to get experience and a decent job?

 

[supremo]

Does anyone have any advice on which companies are to be avoided or where companies will try and pull the wool over my eyes if I call them?

 

[supremo]

Also what certificates would I need to obtain before I would theoreticaly be able to work?>

 

[Rickster123]

^^ glad to see you haven't been put off! Thanks to these qualified in a month courses there are 3 engineers for every household. People wonder why the money's not as good as it once was. It's supply and demand. Sod all demand and way to many engineers.
I wish you luck but in all honesty I think you're heading for disappointment and an expensive one at that.

 

[jhon lennon]

a good plumber or gas engineer will always find bits of work that will bounce from one financial crisis to another all the training costs and then the dreaded ACS EVERY 5 YEARS WHILST NOT HARD IF YOU KNOW WHAT URE DOING TIME CONSUMING AND EXPENSIVE beaten on quotes because the other fella dose it cheap on the side this game has got so hard in the last couple of years that i like many are thinking of getting other jobs that don't have the huge come backs that this one does good luck mate if this is what you want to do just go into it with your eyes open

 

[supremo]

APP Plumbing: Name a job/industry that isn't the same? I am not definetly decided upon it but its as bad/good as it gets anywhere else.

 

[jhon lennon]

you are right mate everyone is feeling it i guess it makes me sad though when i see the adverts train as a plumber and earn 40000 quid people get into it thinking its dead easy and its not

 

[Rickster123]

Debt collector??

 

[AlexGas]

APP Plumbing: Name a job/industry that isn't the same? I am not definetly decided upon it but its as bad/good as it gets anywhere else.

Have you been to the job centre?

 

[jhon lennon]

i call em the joke centre

 

[supremo]

Have you been to the job centre?

Aye, Don't fancy working for 6 quid an hour...
Spoke to this company and you do your CCN1, CEN1/WAT1 & CPA1
12 weeks in the class room, 14 weeks with a company. Would the 14 weeks placement count as experience? or is this part of your training?