Gas Engineer Courses

[Opal99]

Hi, you are definitely never too old, I was older than you when I decided to come into this industry. I cant stress enough on the importance of following the apprenticeship route. There is a massive ammount of technical certificates to be gained out there all backed by C&G ,Bpec, NIC. But the only one that counts is the work related qualifications ie C&G 6189 -11 And then onto the level 3 which leads to your ACS.(gas) if you choose. As stated by others employers wont recognise technical certs. The private colleges will charge a fortune. Go back to basics knock on doors and get an apprenticeship, sit in college with all the kids, I did, you will learn how to do things properly. Find somebody local to shadow, the experience is priceless. Hope this helps.

The problem is I can’t get an apprenticeship as although there is no upper age limit...in reality employers want young blood. I have applied for a few apprenticeships but heard nothing so I think It’s unlikely I will fine one...that’s not being negative just truthful. So I think I will do the course and then just hope afterwards I have a chance to succeed in the business...or get an apprenticeship after the course. I am not expecting to earn 30k plus as that would take years of experience to get to a level like that...I want to learn the job and become experienced and hopefully become a good engineer.

 

[Faz88]

Hi Opal99.

3 years ago I started down a similar path. I am 29 and had limited experience in but had wanted to pursue this path and go into the Gas industry. I researched fast track courses, distance learning packages, local colleges etc not knowing which path was best with the experience I had but also the difficulty in getting an apprenticeship and having bills to pay!

My local college didn’t offer a course that was accessible to candidates new to the Gas industry unless it was through an apprenticeship - not all do so this is something to check when you speak to them. There’s different categories of entry depending on your experience.

What I decided to do in the end was to take a course through a local training centre which was affiliated to BPEC (so the same as what you would learn at college) whilst working for a local Guy to build up experience. This essentially gave me an apprenticeship type way of learning without a formal apprenticeship however this is by no means an easy option as you will have to find a local company/person who would be happy to take you on and bite the bullet in terms of minimum wages whilst doing it! It took me 18 months to qualify. However that’s when it gets even tougher as you still have very little experience and so options are limited in terms of company’s wanting to employ you as most will ask for a minimum of 2 years if not 5 years experience.

I did manage to find a job though and am still learning every day! The way I did it isn’t necessarily the best way to do it as I’m sure other posts will say but It’s certainly possible which is what I wanted to show however it is tough. But as long as you are willing to work hard for it, good luck to finding the correct course for you.

 

[Opal99]

Hi Opal99.

3 years ago I started down a similar path. I am 29 and had limited experience in but had wanted to pursue this path and go into the Gas industry. I researched fast track courses, distance learning packages, local colleges etc not knowing which path was best with the experience I had but also the difficulty in getting an apprenticeship and having bills to pay!

My local college didn’t offer a course that was accessible to candidates new to the Gas industry unless it was through an apprenticeship - not all do so this is something to check when you speak to them. There’s different categories of entry depending on your experience.

What I decided to do in the end was to take a course through a local training centre which was affiliated to BPEC (so the same as what you would learn at college) whilst working for a local Guy to build up experience. This essentially gave me an apprenticeship type way of learning without a formal apprenticeship however this is by no means an easy option as you will have to find a local company/person who would be happy to take you on and bite the bullet in terms of minimum wages whilst doing it! It took me 18 months to qualify. However that’s when it gets even tougher as you still have very little experience and so options are limited in terms of company’s wanting to employ you as most will ask for a minimum of 2 years if not 5 years experience.

I did manage to find a job though and am still learning every day! The way I did it isn’t necessarily the best way to do it as I’m sure other posts will say but It’s certainly possible which is what I wanted to show however it is tough. But as long as you are willing to work hard for it, good luck to finding the correct course for you.

How long was your course? I know I would need to accept minimum wage. I think I will just go for it but like you I will have to do it the unconventional way.

 

[Riley]

I think a lot of the problem you will experience here is that you say you’re going to have to build up the experience and expertise but from from whom?? I’m not being negative but if you don’t get any sort of plumbing background then a lot of jobs will utterly baffle you.

 

[Michael1960]

The problem is I can’t get an apprenticeship as although there is no upper age limit...in reality employers want young blood. I have applied for a few apprenticeships but heard nothing so I think It’s unlikely I will fine one...that’s not being negative just truthful. So I think I will do the course and then just hope afterwards I have a chance to succeed in the business...or get an apprenticeship after the course. I am not expecting to earn 30k plus as that would take years of experience to get to a level like that...I want to learn the job and become experienced and hopefully become a good engineer.

 

[Michael1960]

I get your dilema. The sad part is the company I did my apprenticeship with has had nothing but trouble with the 16-18 year old apprentices. The usual lazy approach or basically they just cant do it. Never under estimate how hard work this job is. And whilst learning, some of it is mind numbingly tedious. Its not unusual to never get a reply from plumbers re jobs, remember you are contacting a busy individual in most circumstances. I applied to dozens, I dont necessarily think its an age issue. Good advice from others may be to try British gas apprenticeship scheme, I have heard before they take their quotas of "oldies" . Good luck!

 

[Opal99]

I think a lot of the problem you will experience here is that you say you’re going to have to build up the experience and expertise but from from whom?? I’m not being negative but if you don’t get any sort of plumbing background then a lot of jobs will utterly baffle you.

We all have to learn from someone...none of us are born to do a particular role...obviously many people will be unwilling to help but I am sure with effort then someone will...I don’t expect it to be easy but at the same time I won’t just give up.

 

[MCornish]

Hi

I am after some advice please.

I am looking at training to become a gas engineer. I have done some research and have come across various courses which last a few weeks (after which and providing I pass I would be registered on the gas safe register). I am fully aware these courses do not provide the skills and experience of an apprenticeship as I have seen the negative comments regarding them on here; however, an apprenticeship would be extremely difficult for me to secure with so much competition and people with previous experience (I have none). I am 37 and this would be a complete career change for me having only worked in customer service roles: although I am certainly not doing this on a whim. Whilst I will try my best to secure an apprenticeship before going down the course route as my last option, I was wondering if anyone has had any success with these courses (I understand it would be almost impossible getting a job with British Gas etc) but are social housing firms more flexible?
I called one of the fast-track courses mentioned above and spoke to a lovely person who advised me to try and get an apprenticeship as they are highly regarded. He said if I do manage to secure a place then with time, effort and dedication I will go far and there is a market for women gas engineers as there is a current shortfall of them. Unfortunately I do not know any gas engineers (friends or relatives) who can help me on this journey so any genuine and helpful advice would be appreciated.

I have just completed my qualification and am now qualified, I rang every gas engineer in my area and luckily one agreed to help me, this will be your best shot, although the courses will only provide you with the safety knowledge to pass the qualification, actually doing the job is a whole different thing, I am qualified but I still work with my engineer gaining experience one day a week and I’m still far from fluent in breakdown and repairs, installing and combo swaps is easy but you will struggle learning S plan and y as the course does not cover this. Il be happy to help in any way I can, because of how hard I found it.
[automerge]1599774343[/automerge]

I have just completed my qualification and am now qualified, I rang every gas engineer in my area and luckily one agreed to help me, this will be your best shot, although the courses will only provide you with the safety knowledge to pass the qualification, actually doing the job is a whole different thing, I am qualified but I still work with my engineer gaining experience one day a week and I’m still far from fluent in breakdown and repairs, installing and combo swaps is easy but you will struggle learning S plan and y as the course does not cover this. Il be happy to help in any way I can, because of how hard I found it.

email me if you want any advise
[automerge]1599774692[/automerge]

There maybe an alternative why don’t you train be become a smart meter installer with a big company they will train you and guide you accordingly.

I was faced with redundancy a few months ago I applied for several jobs got a few interviews one social housing group said they didn’t think I was experienced enough for the gas engineers post (I was a gas engineer at the last place for 5 years). It’s very difficult for a newbie to find a job in our industry.

Don’t do smart metering, they don’t teach you anywhere near what you need to know but put you in a position where you are gas safe but without relevant knowledge, I know this because I work for the biggest and they are the worst of them all

 

[Pickwickpick]

I’ve been a self employed plumber for 2 years now. I started as a mate after being made redundant from a building firm I was with for 12 years.
Lucky enough I’d done a few jobs with a plumbing firm whist building and they knew my capabilities. I then signed up at 35 for college and a City & guilds LV2. I’ve now completed all courses and gained on the job experience through Mybuilder and word of mouth plus 2 jobs a week with a GS Engineer.
I’m now looking at doing my GS through Gas Flare in Bristol for £3999+VAT.
We had a young Indian guy who was on our course for a property developing family expecting to be earning 30K within the first couple of years with Only estate agent experience. He could not even solder properly!!

I’m still astonished at the amount of people that think they can change a career from shirt and tie to a highly skilled trade with £’s. I’m not someone you wants to discourage just tell it as it is.

Hope this might give people who are thinking of a career change a little insite to what’s involved.

Regards. Pete

I'd say about half of the group I

I’ve been a self employed plumber for 2 years now. I started as a mate after being made redundant from a building firm I was with for 12 years.
Lucky enough I’d done a few jobs with a plumbing firm whist building and they knew my capabilities. I then signed up at 35 for college and a City & guilds LV2. I’ve now completed all courses and gained on the job experience through Mybuilder and word of mouth plus 2 jobs a week with a GS Engineer.
I’m now looking at doing my GS through Gas Flare in Bristol for £3999+VAT.
We had a young Indian guy who was on our course for a property developing family expecting to be earning 30K within the first couple of years with Only estate agent experience. He could not even solder properly!!

I’m still astonished at the amount of people that think they can change a career from shirt and tie to a highly skilled trade with £’s. I’m not someone you wants to discourage just tell it as it is.

Hope this might give people who are thinking of a career change a little insite to what’s involved.

Regards. Pete

Funnily enough we had a couple of estate agents on our course, they were expecting to makes huge amounts of money by just doing landlord safety checks using the contacts they'd built up in the industry. Slight spanner in the works was the change to having to wait 6mnths before doings cookers & fires which had just come in. Dropped one of them a whatsapp the other day to see how things were going and didn't hear back from him, but when we'd had a catch up just before doing ccn1 he was thinking he would have to start working behind the bar in his local.

OP, I'd recommend getting into plumbing first, understanding the hydraulic side of a central heating system takes a while and you are always learning on the job. The recommendation of others on here to go to your local FE college is a good one. There will be jobs that you will be called out to do as a gas engineer that will require a proper understanding of the plumbing side of things and the fast track course will not pass on the knowledge required to do these jobs. On the course I was on about half of us were pre existing plumbers, the other half had done an extra 4 weeks plumbing 'foundation' at the college as they were new entrants and they really struggled on the course and a big proportion of them were already thinking they had made a mistake by the time we were doing the portfolio, they couldn't see how they would get employed or have enough knowledge and experience to work for themselves.