Best "fast track" Gas course/training Center

[tonyk84]

Does anyone recommendations and/ or advice?

Cheers!

 

[jase158]

Hi jase158 what area are you from ?

From Buckinghamshire

 

[jase158]

wrong, how can it be in house on the job? if its in house it is off the job

this can only be a con to get money off people who cannot get the evidence, id be interested to know which centre is doing this to see if the awarding body is aware of it

Sorry bad wording, in house as in they have Gas safe registered engineers that you go out with and they sign your work off for you, costs an extra £1000.

Basically they have training at training centre, go out and do the experience with the centre then do exams.

My biggest advice to anybody is to make sure the pricde quoted is full price, I contacted a few people who charge nearly £1500 extra for the exams.

Now I do not wish to name the centre,
1. because they are absolutely rubbish, when doing my NVQ they told me it would be £1 per mile, one way to the assessment, 2 days before the assessment They rung me up to say it was £1 per mile each way. They came out and said the room was not ok for assessment, when I asked what I could do to rectify this, the assessor said nothing and left, very helpful

2. I am absolutely discusted by the way this is run, they told me that you need no previous experience to become gas safe registered, no Tech cert or NVQ. Exact words "you can come straight out of mcdonalds and go onto this course"

3. I think this is actually dangerous, how can you possibly know how to replace things properly if you haven't had proper on the job experience, I know an engineer who can tell you the exact fault from the fault code or a brief description. He has done the 5 year apprenticeship to get into plumbing and he is absolutely brilliant. but how can you possibly know how tight a nut should be or whether you have done it properly if you have never even soldered a joint before you did a course, these courses are great for teaching the mathematics of it all but as said before, nothing beats on site experience.

However I thought I would set the record straight, unfortuaneatly these days anybody can go on a gas course, without even knowing how to solder a joint and pass the ACS within 2-3 months, now that is what you call fast track, feel sorry for the people doing 2 years on site experience (gas) for these people to come and do 2-3 months and earn the same sort of money.

 

[fuzzy]

2. I am absolutely discusted by the way this is run, they told me that you need no previous experience to become gas safe registered, no Tech cert or NVQ. Exact words "you can come straight out of mcdonalds and go onto this course"

3. I think this is actually dangerous, how can you possibly know how to replace things properly if you haven't had proper on the job experience, I know an engineer who can tell you the exact fault from the fault code or a brief description. He has done the 5 year apprenticeship to get into plumbing and he is absolutely brilliant. but how can you possibly know how tight a nut should be or whether you have done it properly if you have never even soldered a joint before you did a course, these courses are great for teaching the mathematics of it all but as said before, nothing beats on site experience.

However I thought I would set the record straight, unfortuaneatly these days anybody can go on a gas course, without even knowing how to solder a joint and pass the ACS within 2-3 months, now that is what you call fast track, feel sorry for the people doing 2 years on site experience (gas) for these people to come and do 2-3 months and earn the same sort of money.

point 2

you cannot do the ACS without qualifications or relevant and current experience. it is not designed to teach you how to fit boilers, that is not its intention, it is a 5 year safety ticket to ensure you are up to date with safety procedures and knowledge. it is for people who either are qualificed or have relevant experience, so to say anyone can do it is misleading. If the centre you say allow you to pay and sit the training without experience then nothing is wrong, its just you cannot sit the assessment until you have completed or proved all relevent quals and/or experience

point 3 - again you are confusing what the ACS is suppose to offer, it is not there to train you fault codes, it is not designed for that purpose, it is not wrong if it doesnt do what ir doesnt claim to do. if you want to be trained on gas do the relevent training course, the NVQ

 

[fagsanbooz]

it should be a combination of both 'on the job' (out in the industry working with gas safe engineers) and 'off the job' (training in a centre), although most of the evidence should predominantly come from the workplace.

 

[jase158]

point 2

you cannot do the ACS without qualifications or relevant and current experience. it is not designed to teach you how to fit boilers, that is not its intention, it is a 5 year safety ticket to ensure you are up to date with safety procedures and knowledge. it is for people who either are qualificed or have relevant experience, so to say anyone can do it is misleading. If the centre you say allow you to pay and sit the training without experience then nothing is wrong, its just you cannot sit the assessment until you have completed or proved all relevent quals and/or experience

point 3 - again you are confusing what the ACS is suppose to offer, it is not there to train you fault codes, it is not designed for that purpose, it is not wrong if it doesnt do what ir doesnt claim to do. if you want to be trained on gas do the relevent training course, the NVQ

Bit confused by your views, are you saying the centre are right in offering these courses?
and letting people with no previous experience or qualifications to fix boilers?
or are you saying that they will not pass the gas safe registration with just this course?
I understand your point about the nvq being the training part but this is not the way i was told, I was told that I could take the ACS course and become gas safe registered without any previous experience.

My point is that i think there should be more on the job experience and more training to become gas safe registered, as many have stated on here, years ago it used to be 4-5 years to become gas safe registered, however nowadays it can be done in a year.

"so to say anyone can do it is misleading. If the centre you say allow you to pay and sit the training without experience then nothing is wrong,"

this contradicts itself, you say that "anybody can do it is misleading", which is exactly what the centre have told me yet you say the centre has done nothing wrong.

the only thing i can think of is that you are saying the centre are not misleading people by giving you the assessment to become acs qualified, however, how can they offer people this course if the person taking the assessment has no previous experience. especially as all colleges and other places are asking for a minimum of 130 days on the job experience before doing your acs

 

[jase158]

point 2

you cannot do the ACS without qualifications or relevant and current experience. it is not designed to teach you how to fit boilers, that is not its intention, it is a 5 year safety ticket to ensure you are up to date with safety procedures and knowledge. it is for people who either are qualificed or have relevant experience, so to say anyone can do it is misleading. If the centre you say allow you to pay and sit the training without experience then nothing is wrong, its just you cannot sit the assessment until you have completed or proved all relevent quals and/or experience

point 3 - again you are confusing what the ACS is suppose to offer, it is not there to train you fault codes, it is not designed for that purpose, it is not wrong if it doesnt do what ir doesnt claim to do. if you want to be trained on gas do the relevent training course, the NVQ

Trying to get my head around this and reading my post carefully I am clearly stating that my opinion is that the on the job experience is more crucial then the nvq training and ACS training, so where are your comments coming from, I think you have confused exactly what I have said, please read again and then explain your points, very very confused now.

 

[fuzzy]

You are very confused. First of all dont confuse training and courses with assessment. Secondly there is no gas safe registration assessment to pass. GSR is a registration body for gas engineers , not a course. I presume you mean ACS

You need no previous experience to do the course, you dont need any previous experience to do a plumbing course. However with gas, unless you are previously qualified in gas you cannot sit the assessment.

There are 3 categorys:

1 - previously qualified such as gas C&G's from the 80s or old ACOPs- no experience neccessary
2 - trade related quals plumbing or H&V - 140 days combined (approx 40 off job max, 100 on job)
3 - no previous quals such as somebody who has worked in plumbing all his/her life, worked with gas fitters and know what they are doing, but have no formal qualifications- 240 days combined (approx 40 off job max)

Evidence must be signed by a gas safe engineer to authenticate it, it is then auditable evidence as it must be logged against proper jobs. Evidence is at the discretion of the assessor/centre but must be proved

so if your are straight out of mcdonalds, fine, pay your money take the course, then you have to get site experience before you can sit the assessment. So when the centre say pay us your money you can do the course they are not misleading. Suggesting you can do the assessment without gas site experince is not possible

so you sit the course, get experience and sit ACS assessments. Then you register with gas safe to do work on gas

This make sense? So nobody can get gas safe registered without experience and quals, therefore providing the quality standard required to ensure the industry is robust and safe

 

[jase158]

so if your are straight out of mcdonalds, fine, pay your money take the course, then you have to get site experience before you can sit the assessment. So when the centre say pay us your money you can do the course they are not misleading. Suggesting you can do the assessment without gas site experience is not possible

so why are they saying you only need 20 days experience? when you are saying that we need 130 days.

You need no previous experience to do the course, you dont need any previous experience to do a plumbing course. However with gas, unless you are previously qualified in gas you cannot sit the assessment.

What is stopping them from letting anybody on the assessment?

so if your are straight out of mcdonalds, fine, pay your money take the course, then you have to get site experience before you can sit the assessment. So when the centre say pay us your money you can do the course they are not misleading. Suggesting you can do the assessment without gas site experince is not possible

Maybe I didnt make myself clear the first time, they said that I pay £4500 and I can become gas safe registered, not "do the course"

This make sense? So nobody can get gas safe registered without experience and quals, therefore providing the quality standard required to ensure the industry is robust and safe


My point is that the centre have told me that I only need 20 days on the job training, 5 of each appliance experience, this IN MY OPINION is unsafe. How can somebody who has had 20 days on the job experience have the same amount of experience and skill as somebody who has 130 days experience.

my other point is that what is stopping them from saying that you did 130 days even though you only did 20 days or are their claims that it only takes 20 days a load of rubbish and later turns out to be 130 days,
and finnaly I was simply passing on the facts that I had been told.

I was told, I could take course, get on the job training and take the assessments all for £4500. and all done in a couple months.

my opinion is that this is not long enough.

your opinion is right, they usually twist their words and lie through their teeth to get you on the course, when you start the course every word turns out to be a lie.

 

[fuzzy]

The days are approximate, it really depends on the overall time spent on jobs. Maybe they fit 240 days on site expeirence into 20 days? Or they have a different awarding body who request something different? It dont sound right to me but if they have found a way round it somehow then who am i to say it is incorrect, it may be imoral but dont blame the system because a centre has found a way round it. The system is fine, maybe the people checking it should be more rigourous with certain centres. I suppose we would only know how much work required by them if somebody on here posts to say what they did to satisfy the on the job experience part of this course.

you cannot become gas safe registered before you have your ACS, remember they said for 4.5k you CAN become GS,R not will. registration is for the individual nothing to do with the training provider.

to answer your question, what is stopping them letting anyone do the assessment, simply the course rules, they must abide by the awarding body, ACS is not open for people without experience, look at my 3 categorys. Which would you be?

 

[jase158]

The days are approximate, it really depends on the overall time spent on jobs. Maybe they fit 240 days on site expeirence into 20 days? Or they have a different awarding body who request something different? It dont sound right to me but if they have found a way round it somehow then who am i to say it is incorrect, it may be imoral but dont blame the system because a centre has found a way round it. The system is fine, maybe the people checking it should be more rigourous with certain centres. I suppose we would only know how much work required by them if somebody on here posts to say what they did to satisfy the on the job experience part of this course.

you cannot become gas safe registered before you have your ACS, remember they said for 4.5k you CAN become GS,R not will. registration is for the individual nothing to do with the training provider.

to answer your question, what is stopping them letting anyone do the assessment, simply the course rules, they must abide by the awarding body, ACS is not open for people without experience, look at my 3 categorys. Which would you be?

Category 2.

good point, concentrate on my future.

wont be using this centre again any way. concentrate on getting the course, thank you for the advice.
so 140 days here I come.

 

[tamz]

Just a point of personal interest Fuzzy; would the kitchen fitters etc who did their ACOPS in the early 90's be classed as cat 1?

 

[fuzzy]

afraid so tamz, the ACOPS was much more open, however if they have passed it they are deemed to have proven prior competence. I think most of these are filtering out now though. ACOPs finished about 15 years ago

 

[tamz]

I thought they would!
Nearly all of them rapped it after the first time as they didn't know what they were doing or really want the responsibility.
It was just one of those stupid things that happened at the time. Give us your cash and here is a badge.
Thankfully lessons were learnt and things have moved on :38: :leaving:
Maybe the main difference now is the pass the buck mentality.

 

[bradders]

I used m65 gas at colne (end of m65 motorway) several years ago still have to put hours in on the job but price was resonable and training good with no short cuts

 

[fuzzy]

in house on the job? doesnt make sense, seems like a con to me