Gas Foundation Course - 28 Weeks Course - Is it worth?

[strictlynorules]

Hi all

I am a new member here and looking for some advise on the above course. I've had enough with my current job (working for a Financial Services company) and planning to do something challenging. This course basically runs for 28 weeks, Of which I will be spending 14 weeks with a Gas Safe Registered company building up a portfolio of work.

Could someone in this forum advise if its worth doing this course please?

 

[kirkgas]

I've taught the course about 10 times, so approx 120-150 candidates, and have seen a mixed bunch on a lot of the courses, it all depends what you can bring to the course and what your expectations are, you will not be a top installer and you will certainly be a long time becoming a good repair engineer, however if you keep realistic expectations and can get into service work for a while you will build up good experience. It's a good job, like others it has it's bad moments too, but the first guys and girls I trained are about 8 yrs or so into the job, some self employed and making plenty, some employed and making decent money, some have drifted away to something else, it's hard to know whether it will suit you or not as I don't know you

 

[kris]

Do you still teach kirk ?

 

[Taffman]

I agree with Kirk, I have also taught on this course for over 10 years, i think that is a very good course for new entrants into the industry. However, you have to put in a lot of effort and it will be some considerable time before you really get to grips with all aspects of gas engineering, but to reiterate it is the quickest and (IMHO) best way to break into the gas industry!!

 

[kirkgas]

Do you still teach kirk ?

No kris I have an even better job now.

 

[kris]

No kris I have an even better job now.

What do you do now ?

 

[kirkgas]

I work as tech support for Gas Safe

 

[wetdrip]

Nice to have a positive response to the O.P. course question.

 

[kris]

I work as tech support for Gas Safe

Thats good n handy to know if we get stuck lol

 

[strictlynorules]

Many thanks for all the responses and I sincerely thank Kirkgas for his honest advise. I am 31 years old and working for a Financial Services company, I don't see any growth in my current role and I don't wanted to do the same role for another 3-5 years. I am really interested in doing this course on the assumption that this would be a good career move. I don't have any knowledge or experience about the Gas Industry however I am willing to put as much as effort that is required. I can learn/pick up new things quickly and am good at it. I totally understand with other responses saying it will take a considerable time to get hands on experience.

Could someone in this forum advise if its worth investing £6,000 for this 6.5 months course. How easy is it to find a job upon completing this course. I know I am asking too many questions here so please accept my apologies. As I did not find a similar post before, I thought it would be a good idea to create one and this post would also help others who might feel the same. Your responses would help me and others in making decisions.

Many thanks in advance

 

[gassafe]

Have you secured a company to do the 14 weeks training with?
Are you going to do any plumbing courses or do you have any plumbing knowledge, as a gas engineer has to have a good understanding of the whole working principles of the boiler & the system it heats etc...?

 

[strictlynorules]

Have you secured a company to do the 14 weeks training with?
Are you going to do any plumbing courses or do you have any plumbing knowledge, as a gas engineer has to have a good understanding of the whole working principles of the boiler & the system it heats etc...?

Hi


The institute that is offering the course will arrange for the 14 weeks training with a Gas Safe Registered company. This course lasts for 28 weeks which is split into two sections. 12 weeks will be spent in a training centre where I will be taught gas theory along with some practicals and 14 weeks with a Gas Safe Registered company where I will shadow a gas engineer.

I don't have any plumbing knowledge nor have any plans in completing a course on it. I also do not have a good understanding of the working principles of the boiler and its systems etc. I am assuming that this will be covered in the course as the advert says no prior knowledge or experience is required as everything will be taught in the course. Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[GrahamM]

Not so easy to find work after it.
Same old problem. You are technically qualified but have no experience. You will not have the fault-finding/breakdown repair experience most employers are looking for.
There is work out there though with some areas busier than others. You just need some employer to give you a chance to prove yourself.

 

[strictlynorules]

Hi
The institute that is offering the course will arrange for the 14 weeks training with a Gas Safe Registered company. I don't have any plumbing knowledge nor have any plans in completing a course on it. I also do not have a good understanding of the working principles of the boiler and its systems etc. I am assuming that this will be covered in the course as the advert says no prior knowledge or experience is required as everything will be taught in the course. Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[GrahamM]

You will be instructed in the basic operation of boilers and how to work on them safely as per current regulations and the basic plumbing involved.
At end of course (providing you pass) you will be deemed competent to work on boiler/meter/fires/cookers etc. as applicable.
You will have little more knowledge other than how to test the safe operation and basic servicing of appliance.
Fault finding and repair comes with experience.

 

[Uins]

I've just become recognised by Gas Safe, and yet to register, its taken me just over 3 years, as 2 years was part time course and then left it for 6 months doing nothing after leaving college. Then just worked for free for a company a couple of days a week over the past year to do my portfolio. All in all cost me about £3800, plus a lot of free labour haha. The only difficult thing is when you are done and qualified with a course like yours, companies may look for people with more experience. I might be wrong, but I think with this course you will end up doing same ACS tests as me, the ISA's? Personally I'd recommend it as a good investment as long as a company could see you're willing, without that much experience.

 

[kirkgas]

Uins everyone ends up doing the same ACS tests,

 

[Uins]

Uins everyone ends up doing the same ACS tests,

The only reason I say this is because what I did were initial summarative assessments and were completly different than the acs tests, I had a question paper of like 10 questions and then just practical saying what was wrong with stuff, and that was it. No big exam papers. I think It's because I've done the NVQ Appliance pathway recognised by ACS. The guys who I've worked with said its nothing like what they've had to do.
Even one of the assessors in the test centre said he had never seen the Blue Flame associates papers I was doing. As you saw on my other post, anything else in the future will be actual ACS tests, I think I've had it easy so far

 

[Havoc6]

I think you will find the first test you did was an APL test , which stands for "Approved Prior Learning" if I remember correctly. If you don't get passed that you would not be allowed to go forward to ACS.

 

[mickg]

Hello Stricktlynorules (and hello forum!)

I did a 6 month course about 7 year ago.
I knew little to nothing about gas. I knew how to bleed a radiator, that was about my knowledge of central heaitng.
I've always been practical and I guess, handy with tools.

I found the course extremely informative. I learned loads about gas safety.
My course tutor was really enthusiastic, funny and I could tell he had plenty knowledge.
So I listened.

What I gained from the course was a lot of 'theory'
I gained very little hands on. I had 2 six week stints watching a guy servicing and repairing combi boilers, back boilers and fires. this proved to be invaluable in retrospect as I believe it helped me to be 'gas safe'

However, after the course, I was no way confident or compitent to do any work or evan get any employment.
What ended up, after possibly hundreds of rejection, I got on board with a sole trader who had lots of varying work and more importantly, new what he was doing.
This came about only after I would offer to 'carry his tool box' for experience.
I was qualified to the hilt, but new nothing.
I was gas safe registered with 2 mill of public liability to get to this stage.

So I stuck to him like glue, working for free to gain experience and confidence.

8 month later, after doing the 6 month course you mention, I had to go it alone.
Again, I knew nothing but I did know how to be Gas Safe.

So there ensued a long and very steep learning curve!!

After 5 years of trading, I now am starting to earn. I have alot of debt but I will continue to grow.
Learning every day.
I hope to learn so much more and continue to advance.
My work now is mainly installing combi boilers.

Hope this helps.
It is after midnight, i have just finished my days paperwork and I have had a cheeky beer so I hope I havent babbled.

Good luck. I'm happy to answer any questions or give any advice (or take any onslught from the guys on here!)

Cheers
Mik

 

[DrainMedic]

Mick g, I think you're confusing the term gas safe. You refer to being gas safe, does that mean you can work safely with gas, or that you're actually gas safe registered?

In in response to the original question, would you not consider becoming a plumber instead? I'll probably get slated for saying this, but there's a lot more money in the wet stuff than gas. So much so, I don't even advertise my company as being gas safe registered any more, it's just not worth doing landlords certs, boiler servicing and breakdowns etc. The only gas stuff we do now is for landlords who have accounts with us, who we do our usual call-out work for. Even then it's usually just to keep them happy, certainly not to make money.

If you're prepared to work hard, advertise wisely and generally love your job, then your initial investment will pay off for you.

It's fine to pay 6 grand for a piece of paper and a nice card with your photo on it, but by the time you've got any experience and you start to turn a profit, you'll be forking out again to renew everything.

6 grand for a piece of paper - you might as well get married! arty:

 

[mickg]

Drain Medic, I meant as in knowing how to work safely with gas, the course did get me gas safe registered

 

[village idiot]

70-80% of people who sign up to these Fast-Track courses eventually drift off to doing jobs that are not related with the course. You have to be very determined. It's like everything in life. If you are prepared to take the knocks, you will get there

 

[clarky_two]

Where is the course mate? what company are offering it? I have been looking all over South Wales, but nothing out there gave me the confidence to part with my £6- 8K of hard earned cash. I visited a few places, some even offered the option to pay weekly and couldnt stop bothering me on the phone and email until I rudely told them where to go on the phone and in emails. They even called me on a Friday to say they had a place on an electricians course starting Monday at a cheap rate. SO DESPERATE for my money!!

I have just signed up for a similar course - gas safe registered at the end (if u pass) 2 weeks plumbing before the course starts - guaranteed (local) work placement to build the portfolio, Diagnostics and repairs module and your exams fees and insurance for 6 months. They even give you some tools as part of the course. This is up in Bradford at Brookhouse Training, VERY professional so far, if I emailed them any questions in the evening they called me back by 0915hrs the next day EVERY time, looks professional and ticks my boxes. OK not the cheapest but I wasnt bothered about the cost - I wanted a good course, as this will pay for itself I believe...

I am starting in April and should be up and running by the end of Aug/Sept ish. I am planning on going self employed as I have a few contacts who are willing to give me work when I get qualified and a few good mates willing to help out if I get stuck.

I like you have looked on this forum for advice about starting up and it seems all doom and gloom - but I am willing to give it my best shot and see how it goes. If you dot try hard you will never know.

Hope it works out for you mate

 

[deandive]

I did it, I wish id done the NVQ first but I did it, and I now make a decent living doing something I enjoy. I mainly work on Installs but ive done servicing all as a sub contractor. Id find out first if plumbing is something you enjoy before you part with your money, and then if you are still keen go for it