Wanna be gas safe? Me too. HELP!!

[GasSafe Wannabe]

Hi all,

I've been looking into becoming a gas engineer for a long time and now feel i'm ready to go for it. I'm 27 with no experience in the trade with two addorible kids in a low paid job THAT I HATE but its stable and safe.
I am looking into a course at Kingston college. Its called a guild of gas fitters certificate. Its a 14 week 1 day a week course costing £1400. I need to supply a portfolio with at least 200 hours of work and have to have a placement. On completion of the course which has an assesment at week 5 and week 14 i will be able to go for my CCN1 (a 3 day assesment costing about £380). After passing that i can then do my 3x elements (1 day costing about £300 - £400) and after that then can apply to gas safe. Does this sound a good route?
I know its the quick way. I don't fancy paying 6 grand on a long NVQ that is pretty much you just working with a gas safe engineer for 4 years. I think i've found someone to take me on (fingers crossed) and am fully prepared to work part time for free or full time minimum wage (i know the latter is unlikley) and im fully prepared to do this for 2 years or until i'm confident to work at peoples houses alone.
The engineer thinking of taking me on is worried about the extra cost of insurance and health and safety things he needs to get sorted if he does take me on which he has asked me to try and look into so any advice on this would be priceless.
Thank you for reading and any advice or helpful comments would be really appreicated.

 

[REDSAW]

so basically, you want to be a gas fitter in 7 weeks in all (200 hours ++ 14 days) with no experience at all?.

first thing is, what in your thoughts is the role and responsibilities of a gas fitter and their liabilities.?.

incidently, i am a hvac (plumber) and i have just spent 2 years fitting gas under supervision and a year doing my acs, and i found it pretty tough, but it was at a quality establishment (large plumbing firm).

 

[SimonG]

Good luck with that............but.....................

What you going to do if you turn up to a 'broken' boiler and its a cylinder or 3 port valve or blocked cold feed. You'll need some plumbing experience as well!

 

[GasSafe Wannabe]

Hello
@ redsaw i didnt say 14 weeks and your gas safe. I know its an important job and if things go wrong its serious sure i understand that. After the first 14 week course you can then go for youre ccn1 i dont know how long it would take to go from the first course to your ccn1 maybe a year maybe two who knows. In that year or two i will be working under a gas safe registered engineer. So in answer to your qeustion...no it wont be a 14 week course and im in.
@ simon g The engineer concidering me is also a plumber so i will be learning plumbing at the same time... hopefully.
Im just trying to see ways of saving money because lets face it to do an nvq in natural gas £6000 roughly, a city and guilds 2 in plumbing £3500 plus another grand on top to do the level 3. So not much change out of £10000. My way about £2000, i think the main and most important part is the supervised training with a registered engineer.

 

[obseen16]

if i were in your shoes id get the job placement first then gain some experience and MAKE SURE you enjoy the work BEFORE you part with your cash, i didnt think you could do your gas quals without first gaining a plumbing qual of C&G level 2 as a minimum. knowing what i know now i am glad i didnt jump straight into gas first, i got a job with a local one man band and enrolled on a plumbing course part time, i worked with him for a while then after 6 months he said i knew enough to do the littler jobs on my own, after a few years i decided to do my gas. that was the best way for me as there is usually a fair bit of plumbing involved with gas. like balancing rads on new systems, what do you do when an old crusty rad valve starts leaking after you fiddle with it? its all experience youll gain from plumbing. this trade is anything but fast to learn.

best of luck to you whichever road you take.

 

[GasSafe Wannabe]

Thanks obseen I will defenatley think hard on which route to take plumbing or gas. The guy whos thinking of taking me on is the same, one man band. What you done sounds perfect and could only wish mine goes the same way.
Please any one wanting to comment do it its only more information for everyone.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

hi welcome along

 

[paulnwales]

guild of gas fitters certificate? gosh another word for i just got ripped off. cant see you getting a job with that cert. sounds like its a sham to me.

 

[Dotty]

Welcome aboard.

Ask as many questions as you like but bear in mind we've donkey's year's of experience between us all so please be very aware that when we say these quick fix courses aren't all they're cracked up to be there's a very good reason.

 

[carpstu]

can you not phone gas safe and see if that cert stands with them

 

[Dotty]

Thanks obseen I will defenatley think hard on which route to take plumbing or gas. The guy whos thinking of taking me on is the same, one man band. What you done sounds perfect and could only wish mine goes the same way.
Please any one wanting to comment do it its only more information for everyone.

Oops! Sorry Cocker, missed that post!

Good luck on what ever you decide and we'll answer where we can.

 

[GasSafe Wannabe]

Well,
Im still looking, the one man band guy is still interested...he says. I spoke to another company that offered me a two week trial to be full time employed training with them and HE PAYS to put you through the course. But they havent been answering their phones for a week (very strange). Its a really nervy time but lets hope its worth it.