Starting a British Gas Apprenticeship

[the_tod]

Hi All,

New to the forum.

After going to uni, getting a degree and spending some time in general office jobs I've decided for a bit of a career change. I applied to British Gas apprenticeship as a Gas repair and maintenance engineer and have been accepted!

Start in July and it looks promising, from what I've read opinions on BG appears to be a bit hot and cold from an employees point of view but it looks all good to me.

Just wanted to say hi and if anyone has any pointers?

 

[johnmcginty]

Gas repair and maintenenec ? does that mean you have to pay for your course , it will be good i have friends that did it. You will train in leeds too which is a good night life.

 

[the_tod]

The course is, ' Apprentice Service & Repair Engineer'. No fees for me, thank god. Although I believe there to be a bonding cause if I leave early I'll have to pay some fees. My trainings in Leicester, I think they have 5 'Academies' across the country now.

 

[SimonG]

How long does the training take and what was your degree in?

 

[the_tod]

Believe the Academy training is 2 years and but is split so I'll do some weeks at the Academy then some weeks at home on the job training. My degree was in Sociology, so complete career change!

 

[the_tod]

Starting an Apprenticeship with British Gas: Whats it like?

So I'm starting an Apprenticeship with British Gas soon and wandered if anyone knows any ins and outs of what to expect?

Anyone else joining this year too?

 

[AWheating]

Re: Starting an Apprenticeship with British Gas: Whats it like?

welcome to the boards mate,

never worked for them myself, i did an old fashioned apprenticeship with 4 years at college etc..... how long is the apprenticeship? are you going to be staying away from home at there training center?

 

[the_tod]

Re: Starting an Apprenticeship with British Gas: Whats it like?

The college part is over 2 years and is 5 days a week at their Academy in Leicester so I can go home at weekends. They've told me they'll pay for accommodation and travel expenses, I may be issued with a company van straight away so I can use it to and from the academy but this isn't for definite. I'm still waiting for my contract/starter pack for all the ins and outs.

 

[AWheating]

Re: Starting an Apprenticeship with British Gas: Whats it like?

company van straight away...... you lucky ..... i lived on £20 a week for 2 years and i had to pay for the bus to work. Sounds like they are going to be looking after you so make sure you make the most of it. Make sure you dont just get stuck doing the same type of work, you want to cover all bases. You want to train with service engineers, installation engineers, micro generation would be good too.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

good luck on your new direction and welcome to the forums.

 

[GQuigley67]

good luck mate at least your doing it the right way play your cards right and you'll have a job for life

 

[midge]

if I leave early I'll have to pay some fees.

I think by 'some' you will find it to be thousands.
It suits some, those who don't mind being brainwashed and can make their selling targets. Doesn't suit everyone though, I know a chap who dropped out last year and the training bond WAS recovered, by legal means.
Either way, good luck in your job search.

 

[Dotty]

Good luck Tod, and welcome to the forums.

 

[turnpin]

Hello The-Tod and welcomeregards turnpin

 

[truemanufan]

Welcome along mate good luck

 

[NAV]

Re: Starting an Apprenticeship with British Gas: Whats it like?

Hi mate, do you know if they have any more places left on their apprenticeships? How did you apply? I really want to work for them, heard they are brilliant to work for.

 

[BikerBen]

Hello - sounds like you've been very lucky to get a place!

I keep looking around by using different postcodes but have never seen anything turn up near me in Nottingham / Derby border....

 

[GrahamM]

Re: Starting an Apprenticeship with British Gas: Whats it like?

Hi mate, do you know if they have any more places left on their apprenticeships? How did you apply? I really want to work for them, heard they are brilliant to work for.

If you can deal with the constant on you back to meet performance targets (so many complete jobs per day) as well as sales targets (so many sales of boiler upgrades, energy leads, magnas etc.) then they are not to bad to work for.
To a degree you will be more of a sales man than an engineer.

 

[NAV]

Re: Starting an Apprenticeship with British Gas: Whats it like?

But surley thats the same with any of the big firms

 

[GrahamM]

Re: Starting an Apprenticeship with British Gas: Whats it like?

Dont know about you, but I am a gas engineer, not a salesman. I did not train to become a gas engineer to go to a job and try and push the customer into buying a magna or to changing her gas and electricity supplier to British Gas. Maybe I am wrong, but as far as I am aware not all the big companies keep on your back constantly to push upgrade sales. They expect every engineer to make so many pounds worth of sales every month. Your service manager has his sales targets and he will keep on your back if he is struggling to meet them.

On the other hand their training centers are very well equipped and their training is very good, but saying that, today I At Risked an unvented tank that BG had been overlooking for past 8 years and last week removed half a bin bag full of dirt/rubble from a fires catchment area and At Risked it for having channel tunnel size holes in builders opening. This fire was covered by BG for past 12 years or so.

 

[washer]

Re: Starting an Apprenticeship with British Gas: Whats it like?

The training and facilities are excellent, and definetly some of the best in the industry, just totally apply yourself and you will be fine.

You will read alot of negative stuff on here, but BG is like any company, some of there engineers are good and some not, but once your qualified it's how you work and apply your skill that matters. Yes they do want you to promote products, but I now work for myself, I sell and recommend things to make myself more money, why should BG be any different.

Good luck with your apprenticeship, my mates still work for BG and are doing 3 day weeks from now till late August and on the same money, very nice!

 

[NAV]

Re: Starting an Apprenticeship with British Gas: Whats it like?

At the end of the day BG are a bussniess and they are in the game to make money just like everyone else. Like washer said all companies have a few bad apples and they are the ones that get talked about. That doesnt make the whole outfit bad.

 

[Damon Apple]

Re: Starting an Apprenticeship with British Gas: Whats it like?

Well no matter what your age young or old you will have to do the DUKE OF EDINBURGH GOLD AWARD.....albeit over 25yo only get the British Gas Award but its exactly the same....This involves volunteering for at least 8 hours every two months....A physical module..aimed to improve your fitness as your gonna be doing a 5 day trek somehwere in britain about 60 miles long...Business Skills Module.......ALL IN YOUR OWN TIME......Depending on your current quals you have to do Key skills in Maths ..English and IT at Level 2......And on top of all this you have homework and learning targets to achieve above 80% on exams and they dont like you having 2nd attempts to pass....however I always take 3 attempts which infuriates em....Theres an absolute massive amount of information to take in....Just be prepared for alot of hard work ...Its so MENTALLY CHALLENGING and being away from home for long periods at a time is a pain.....The novelty of Hotel Living soon wears off ...Oh and dont forget in the hotel..You SHARE ROOMS.......whether your young or old, male or female( no mixed sex room mates, sorry guys lol)...I dont know about you but I was not told I had to share a room until i checked into the hotel on my first day and to say I was shocked was an understatement....The only person I wanna share a room with is my missus.

 

[the_tod]

Thanks for sharing your experience Damon that's cleared some areas up for me. I think I should be fine with the physical element as I was was prepping for the RAF so hopefully I'll be OK. The maths and IT should be fine too. I guess I have to hope I get a decent room mate to share with!

I got my pack through today but it doesn't really go into any detail the expenses part, if you can it would be great if you could answer the following questions;

Are you provided with a works van from day one?

Do you have to pay for your own food?

Do they pay for you to go home at weekends?

Do they make all necessary hotel arrangements?

How close is the Hotel to the Academy?

Other then that I can't wait to start!!

 

[the_tod]

Re: Starting an Apprenticeship with British Gas: Whats it like?

Hi mate, do you know if they have any more places left on their apprenticeships? How did you apply? I really want to work for them, heard they are brilliant to work for.

Keep checking their website mate and hopefully one day you'll get lucky! I found the advert on Jobcentre website