yet another how do i become a gas engineer thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[lame plumber]

when is the world going to get it that doing a 6 week course wont enable you to pop out and find work, no idea how to solder or fault find an s plan system it makes me want toooooo screaaaaaam. and breatheeeeeeeee

plus we cant even write a comment on that part of the forum ... probably save a few tongue lashings all round tho

 

[IDCHAPPY]

Aye, totally. Also the "which part do i need to change on this possibly dangerous boiler as i don't know my arse from my elbow and want to risk my families life" :lol:

 

[Deleted member 7121]

Your right does my nut in !!

 

[mfgs]

These fast track courses are a pain, they flood the market with idiots. They should make it mandatory to complete an apprenticeship before you are allowed to sit your CCN1 etc. At least then people will gain real first hand experience and will be less of a danger to the general public.

 

[chris watkins]

Again nothing will change until people are killed, Lame. Sadly that is what it takes nowadays.

We have already started to notice an increasing amount of GSR, so called engineers, working or coming in for Re-ACS who in the passed would not be working as they don't have the required skills.

It used to be the old boys who had been working all their lives on the gas & were pretty safe, if a bit unsteady with the theory & along came CORGI, but these young guys have no real excuse, apparently installing a few gas boilers is all that you need, cos that is all they are going to work on until bang followed by - :46:!!!!

 

[IDCHAPPY]

These fast track courses are a pain, they flood the market with idiots. They should make it mandatory to complete an apprenticeship before you are allowed to sit your CCN1 etc. At least then people will gain real first hand experience and will be less of a danger to the general public.

Was thinking the same thing 4 years, probably in service and maintenance or a minimum 5 years in the trade as plumbing/heating installers(pipework)

 

[lame plumber]

apprenticeship for older folks wont work but a few years learning to plumb first would be sensible, at least there would be a grounding, its how I got there, not by 6 weeks in college and ding ding round one wheres a granny in need?

 

[Riley]

Am I completely imagining it or did I read that they were looking to do away with fast track courses??

 

[lame plumber]

got a mention in the draft doc recently but only a mention to date then it needs enforcing. As if..............

 

[Riley]

got a mention in the draft doc recently but only a mention to date then it needs enforcing. As if..............

Yes that's where I read it, thanks

makes you wonder if Gas Safe are looking to do something big in order to show that they do actually do things. First time in _______ years

 

[kris]

Am I completely imagining it or did I read that they were looking to do away with fast track courses??

You sure did. From now on beginners will have to go through different training ( still to be issued by igem). But for us experienced guys / people whov already sat acs. ) will continue as norm. Igem are trying to fade out short courses and folks becoming registeted without proper work experience.

 

[Riley]

You sure did. From now on beginners will have to go through different training ( still to be issued by igem). But for us experienced guys / people whov already sat acs. ) will continue as norm. Igem are trying to fade out short courses and folks becoming registeted without proper work experience.

makes sense though doesn't it!! If they they could clamp down on cowboys/illegals/diyers then that could make things better for all of us

 

[T & H Plumbing]

I totally agree I even said to my tutor the lvl 2 nvq plumbing is a waste of time not much thought went into it and you let people loose after completion I feel I haven't really learnt much more than I already knew so I am booking myself onto the lvl 3 next year learn about gas unvented water and water regs

 

[Reltub]

You sure did. From now on beginners will have to go through different training ( still to be issued by igem). But for us experienced guys / people whov already sat acs. ) will continue as norm. Igem are trying to fade out short courses and folks becoming registeted without proper work experience.

I hope to god this happens!

 

[Riley]

It's only half the problem though isn't it. Unless they stop and/or prosecute diyers and illegals then poor or "inexperienced" gas work will happen

 

[Ray Stafford]

It's only half the problem though isn't it. Unless they stop and/or prosecute diyers and illegals then poor or "inexperienced" gas work will happen

This is the biggest issue. There is no shortage of dangerous installs. To be honest, some of them by qualified blokes as well as unqualified cowboys. Yet unless someone dies, there is no prosecution.

I don't understand this mentality. If I get nicked for drink driving, I would get (rightly) prosecuted, whether I hit anyone or not. We all understand the point is to deter drink-driving. Exactly the same applies to dangerous gas installations. You prosecute the case for what MIGHT have happened, in order to avoid having to prosecute what HAS happened.

 

[Killy Bing]

I feel my 3 year apprentiship was too short.......

would i want to do another two years on crappy pay?
Ideally not
do i think its needed?
yes i bloody do.
Hence my im still working under other people and learning.

did i mention its been reduced from 3 years to 2 years now aswell for nvq gas?

 

[Riley]

Well put Ray, I just can't see the logic of a company winning the contract then doing nothing to ensure that they keep it. I might be missing some of the finer points re the corgi - gas safe switch over but essentially I'd imagine it's about one company presenting a better business plan to include prosecution and upholding the rules. The regs cause so much ambiguity why not simplify it so that no one can be in any doubt as to who can work on gas and stronger penalties if they do so illegally. This whole "it's my house I'll do what I want" just needs stamping out. Difficult I grant you but the same principle applies here as with Rays drink drive analogy. It's what could happen not waiting till yours and your neighbours houses are rubble.

 

[SimonG]

feel my 3 year apprentiship was too short.......

would i want to do another two years on crappy pay?
Ideally not
do i think its needed?
yes i bloody do.
Hence my im still working under other people and learning.

did i mention its been reduced from 3 years to 2 years now aswell for nvq gas?

But you could argue that it would never be long enough. I know its oil, but went to a breakdown tonight. Boiler blowing electrics on start up. Unwired boiler, pump and 3 port fine. Wired back in and set it away, all ok until coil energised. Never had a fault on a coil like that. Just proves everyday is a school day.

 

[Riley]

Totally agree Simon i think the key is safe working practices though isn't it? You might come across a boiler with a brand new fault that you've never experienced but it's all about working through methodically and above all safely. This is my point with the diyers/illegals who never have tools for safety eg FGA etc. everyday is indeed a school day but unlike the have a go heroes we keep ourself and the customer out of harm.

 

[Ray Stafford]

There is another problem, which is using one "standard" for a whole range of activities.

For example, if I was just fitting hobs and cookers in new kitchens, then I dare say you could teach me all I needed to know in 6 weeks.

Similarly, if I was a maintenance engineer for a specific product - say for example a gas-fired laundry machine - then again, I could learn all the gas safety stuff in a few weeks.

The problem comes when we pretend that this "domain specific" knowledge is equated with being able to install, maintain, diagnose and fix a whole raft of products from different times and makers.

Its not right to insist that the former guy completes a 4yr apprenticeship to do that limited job. Yet its also not right to pretend that 6 weeks makes you a sodding expert in everything!

 

[SimonG]

Totally agree Simon i think the key is safe working practices though isn't it? You might come across a boiler with a brand new fault that you've never experienced but it's all about working through methodically and above all safely. This is my point with the diyers/illegals who never have tools for safety eg FGA etc. everyday is indeed a school day but unlike the have a go heroes we keep ourself and the customer out of harm.

Very true. You just go through your fault finding and away you go. Always get a real sense of achievment when its not a standard problem and youve nailed it.

The thing is everybody has to start somewhere, but the number of times you get called to a boiler breakdown and its not the boiler means that you cant just train people in 'how a boiler works', you need to see the bigger picture, external controls, blocked cold feeds, pumping over etc etc.

I'm lucky that I think quite logically and when all else fails I have the phone number of a couple of guys who have seen a bit more than me. Its a last resort, but I know they are there if I need them.

Maybe the newcomers would be better off paying us their money and getting a proper education? Or it could be the beer speaking

 

[kris]

Your right Ray, this is one of the reasons i joined this forum , ,,, to better myself,,, we never stop learning day in day out ,, the amount of tips we pick up off each other on here is priceless, and a lot of questions by joe public will see different answers and all could be right as each persons experience is different , but even if you were to get something diagnosed wrong then its all part of the learning curb, but its the person who hasnt experience but thinks hes a know it all in 6 weeks that is dangerous,

 

[plumber0808]

I had someone phone me asking if he could shadow me on installs, services etc. He would pay ME for doing this and I sign his paperwork off.

His English wasn't the best.

I am not getting involved in this kind of Bull S* even if there is money in it for me

 

[kris]

I wouldnt, this is probably someone that wants an easy meal ticket so once he gains a few weeks experience he'l buy a van start a business and become a dangerous fleecer, or maybe thats harsh he maybe just wants to better himself but there a proper apprenticeships for that,