A gas engineer is anyone who is trained to work with gas appliances. Whether that’s a boiler, a cooker, a hob or central heating. However, to get to be a gas engineer you have to have had specific gas engineer training, both in general and also for each application you wish to work on. This means that as a career, being a gas engineer is extremely flexible. You can work on what you prefer, and if you’re self-employed, you can work when you prefer too. Additionally, the role has one of the highest average starting salaries in the country, at £32k a year. This can then grow throughout your career, potentially getting as high as £60k each year.
How do I become a gas engineer?
So to become a gas engineer you have to have done training, and then you have to get 2 qualifications in order to practise legally. These are the ACS in Gas, and the Gas Safe Registration. The former runs out every 5 years and you have to renew it, just to make sure you’re up to date with everything in the industry.
The training can be done in one of two ways. You can do an NVQ Apprenticeship or a Fast Track Managed Learning Course. The NVQ takes longer than the Fast Track, but both will provide you with the base knowledge you need to begin your career as a gas engineer.
If you’re looking for courses, check out the following providers.
Skills Training Group
This is a Fast Track course that takes 25 weeks (approx. 6 months), and will cost you £7770 including VAT. You don’t need any prior knowledge or experience to start the course, as it covers: core gas safety, core practical skills, work placement and portfolio, ACS assessment, core domestic gas safety, combustion performance analysis, domestic gas central heating boilers and water heaters, domestic gas cookers, domestic gas fires and wall heaters, unvented hot water storage systems and electrical safe isolation.
Both venues for this course are in Scotland (Paisley and Dalgety Bay).
Access Training Academies
Access offer 6 different gas engineer training courses, some of which you need to add placements to. They vary in level of expertise, and can all be found on their website.
Access Training Academies teach in Kent, Cardiff, Hertfordshire and Ealing.
Tungsten Training Centre
Tungsten Training Centre offer a Domestic Gas Foundation Course, which is also a Managed Learning Programme. It will cost you £4,794 including VAT. If you have no gas training, you will need to hold a recognized qualification in the mechanical services engineering sector (like plumbing), or 2 GCSEs (grade C or above) preferably in English, Maths or relevant experience. You must also be over 18. The course spans 40 days.
This course is taught in their training centre near Brighton.
GasTrainingCourses.co.uk
GTC offer Gas Training Courses on either a full or part-time basis. During which, you will attend on of their centres to learn the essential theoretical and practical skills needed. You will then undertake on-site work experience to build up a portfolio, before taking the ACS.
To find out more, register for a call back on their site.
GetTraining.com
Get Training offer a Fast Track course called ‘Get to Gas’. IT is for anyone with little to no experience, from beginners to anyone who has vague knowledge. They offer flexible payment options to ensure that anyone can access the course. The total cost is £3,200 including VAT. You will cover the basic in houe theory, build a portfolio, and then take your ACS.
Get Trainning have 2 centres, one in Wolverhampton and one in Aylesbury.
