to see where in the industry you came from, NOT in any way to have a dig at you, to see where you served your time, so like me you are a time served plumber who then moved into gas, i was delighted to be offered the change to move "over" to gas i didnt see it as a step up, gas is just something else to do, but i had no experience at all, so why was i allowed to take up gas, why were you allowed to move over as well? 10yrs ago you would have been a Category 2 and wouldnt have needed a portfolio, so you went for your ACS then became gas registered, ok you have 10yrs experience under your belt, but who allowed you to join the "Great Gas Industry" without being a time served gas engineer, yes you served your time as a plumber but could have spent the 3-4 trs post apprenticeship (if you did an apprenticeship) doing domestic plumbing which has no more bearing on gas than any other trade which learns about safety, professionalism, etc etc, so my point is if you had served an apprenticeship in the electronics industry would you not be able to cross over just as a lot of guys and girls have to gas now, by doing a 6 month full time course, which is a hell of a lot more gas experience i had when i went for my ACOPS (i had NONE) passed my ACOPS and learned from there, i'm not particularly clever but worked damn hard to learn and progress myself so i must allow others to do the same, it isnt the new guys who are ruining the industry it is a mixture of all the things going on, (and i'm ready for the pelters for this one but as a Gas Manager trying to employ guys about 6-7 yrs ago too many came for an interview with the attitude that they "better" earn £40k (books in, company van, fuel card, company mobile, pension etc) or they would not entertain starting with us, the work was social housing servicing and maintenance, 5-6 BBU's or 8-9 combis a day, vastly over rating themselves out of a job