ACS Gas safe course, need information please!

[LukeBarclay]

i have just finished a level 3 in gas utilization (gas engineering) at my local college but i am struggling to find an apprenticeship i am thinking of going privately through a training center but dont know of any information about the reliability of them, i have heard a few bad reviews which has made me weary but i really would like to get qualified.

could anybody please recommend a training centre that they or know of someone has used? thank-you its much appreciated.

 

[kirkgas]

Where are you based, and what exactly are you trying to do? I appreciate you say you can't get an apprenticeship but an apprenticeship is one thing and going to a training centre is another, are you considering the training centre to gain your ACS?

 

[LukeBarclay]

im based in Manchester, im trying to become Gas safe, so i was planning on going to a training centre to do my ACS and possibly my portfolio if there is a reliable training centre that provides that.

on my college course they recommend trying to find an apprenticeship, but this hasnt been plausible for me due to the lack of them, so i think its time to switch the route a bit and try a training centre.

 

[chris watkins]

Hi Luke, without an NVQ (gas, plumbing or heating related) you will still need site / work appearance amounting to 70+ days to be able to sit the ACS, be very careful of using any training center that suggests anything different.
IMHO you need to find someone who can provide the real life on site training, across the board on cookers, fires etc not just sticking a boiler or meter on the wall & putting a gas supply to it.
Good luck.

 

[LukeBarclay]

thanks chris, know any training centres that could provide the adequate training i need?

 

[chris watkins]

I do but they are all down here, try going into gas spare's places & see if you can leave your details.

 

[Killy Bing]

im based in Manchester, im trying to become Gas safe, so i was planning on going to a training centre to do my ACS and possibly my portfolio if there is a reliable training centre that provides that.

on my college course they recommend trying to find an apprenticeship, but this hasnt been plausible for me due to the lack of them, so i think its time to switch the route a bit and try a training centre.

There isn't a lack of them, any engineer can do with an apprentice.
YOU have to make it worth their time and effort to invest in you!

Offer a free trial period, show you're willing
having your pay go towards the additional insurances the employer has to take out (which is quite abit).
Not taking money for yourself till you can break even their cost of having you.
and when you do spending it on tools for the job.

imho with the training centres, if you do get gas safe you're on the back foot as you won't know half of what you're doing still and worse still, you won't have a mentor to call for aid or advice.

good luck anyway

 

[deandive]

imho with the training centres, if you do get gas safe you're on the back foot as you won't know half of what you're doing still and worse still, you won't have a mentor to call for aid or advice.

good luck anyway

absolutely disagree with your opinion on this one, the calibre of a given gas engineer, whilst it can be influenced by where or how their training was achieved, is dictated by the engineer themselves and their attitude to the job, not by where they trained.

 

[lbrad02]

go to crewe and Nantwich gas training ,,, can you can go out with gas engineers doing loads of things you will love it

 

[Killy Bing]

absolutely disagree with your opinion on this one, the calibre of a given gas engineer, whilst it can be influenced by where or how their training was achieved, is dictated by the engineer themselves and their attitude to the job, not by where they trained.

Ahh to clean this up, im against the "pay to get the portfolio" style of training.

where the engineer leaves with the bare minimum. I woulden't want them in my home? Would you?

 

[lbrad02]

No you pay for your course and you are able to go out and train with them to gain exp and you can use that for your portfolio

 

[chris watkins]

No you pay for your course and you are able to go out and train with them to gain exp and you can use that for your portfolio

So you do 70+ DAY of actual gas work with them, do you ? (not including the bits where you drive around with them in the van)

 

[deandive]

Ahh to clean this up, im against the "pay to get the portfolio" style of training.

where the engineer leaves with the bare minimum. I woulden't want them in my home? Would you?

You would have to ask my customers that Ive had no complaints so far...................If someone is dedicated enough and has enough intelligence they can make it in this industry if they have trained fast track or not. I think im proof of that....... although I did spend years being a lackey to gain experience, before even starting my course and then spent months putting the portfolio together. There are good and bad engineers who have trained via both routes. I dont think we can or should tar everyone with the same brush. 🙂

 

[TerryWaite]

absolutely disagree with your opinion on this one, the calibre of a given gas engineer, whilst it can be influenced by where or how their training was achieved, is dictated by the engineer themselves and their attitude to the job, not by where they trained.

Don't agree with this at all. Someone time served will be a lot better than a fast tracker. With the odd exception.

 

[Killy Bing]

Dean as you said you prior experiance! And took your time. That is the key. That i have respect for. You've hardly been a fast tracker....

 

[julesverne]

Someone time served will be a lot better than a fast tracker.

i dont agree with this either seen plenty of time served engineers work and it is shocking because being timed served can also breed complacency and laziness it's all down to the person.
it also depends on the so called fast tracker's age employment/work background. for example a warehouse or accountant would find it very difficult to grasp concepts in plumbing and gas on the other hand a car mechanic /technician or maintenance engineer would be potentially working competently within no time at all due to the kind of they do fault finding testing etc they would do on a daily basis. plumbing and gas isnt the free mason's if you willing to learn and never stop learning then you can make it.

 

[chris watkins]

i dont agree with this either seen plenty of time served engineers work and it is shocking because being timed served can also breed complacency and laziness it's all down to the person. it also depends on the so called fast tracker's age employment/work background. for example a warehouse or accountant would find it very difficult to grasp concepts in plumbing and gas on the other hand a car mechanic /technician or maintenance engineer would be potentially working competently within no time at all due to the kind of they do fault finding testing etc they would do on a daily basis. plumbing and gas isnt the free mason's if you willing to learn and never stop learning then you can make it.

We all come at this with our own particular slant based on our own experiences & yes there are good & bad from both sectors but come on julesverne are you really suggesting that there is equality between fast tack type learners & those who have made a commitment to study & learn the trade over a four year period on very low wages, working along side skilled trades persons as an apprentice. Attending college one day a week & studying to achieve a level 3 qualification thats before they go on to study the gas side & take the ACS which will take another year in most cases. Please don't insult all their hard work & commitment by suggesting that it can be done to the same level by some shortened route that involves paying money over & learning at the expense of the customers you are charging.

 

[julesverne]

Excuse me at what point did i insult time served engineers i merely pointed out that there is good and bad in all fast track and time served. also not being timed served is not a barrier to proving competence. Apprentices are generally school leavers whereas as people who do so called fast track courses are generally older and have more practical and life experience that can be applied to a given situation. where as a 16 yr old doesn't and needs an apprenticeship to learn valuable life & work skills for the given trade they study.
to suggest only timed served apprentices can do a given trade is incorrect and sounds a bit protectionist imho.

 

[chris watkins]

Who said anything about you insulting time served engineers ? For that matter I tried to make it as clear as I could that there are some very very good engineers almost certainly like your good self (& I have trained a few) who have not come via the apprentice route.

Can I say you do seem to be overly defensive on this one, who has suggested only time served can do the trade? I am just trying to make clear that this trade with it's associated skills, is not something which can be learnt, let alone perfected, in a sort period of time as some think. I believe you would agree with that ?

 

[julesverne]

Please don't insult all their hard work & commitment by suggesting that it can be done to the same level by some shortened route that involves paying money over & learning at the expense of the customers you are charging.

there you go.


maybe i am being defensive i came into the trade at 35 i'm 41 now .
i'm not time served but i did go to college but had to do my gas portfolio with a training centre because no one would give me the experience i as i was self employed and saw me as a threat to therelively hood.
Someone has to fight our corner as you seem pretty quick to dismiss fast trackers

 

[chris watkins]

there you go.


maybe i am being defensive i came into the trade at 35 i'm 41 now .
i'm not time served but i did go to college but had to do my gas portfolio with a training centre because no one would give me the experience i as i was self employed and saw me as a threat to therelively hood.
Someone has to fight our corner as you seem pretty quick to dismiss fast trackers

There you go ???
Me thinks you need to read the post a more carefully. (hard work of apprentices, not time served engineers)
Not dismissing anybody, just want a level playing field, as I understand it the minimum amount of gas work (on the job training) is 70+ days, before you are allowed to attempt the ACS.
Did you pay for & do 70+ day's of gas work ? Only I never got an answer from Ibrad02 on post 12, will you tell us ?
See I don't make the rules, all I have ever asked for is a level playing field however to come to this trade !!!!

 

[julesverne]

Thread is going round in circles. you'll be waiting a long time if you want a level playing field . Thats life deal with it. My last post on the subject.

 

[chris watkins]

Thought not, another one who for some reason or another does not want to tell us how long they spent working along side a Gas Safe Engineer before the training centre they were paying for that onsite training put them in for the ACS.
Strange that isn't it!

 

[julesverne]

prob because you got a chip on your shoulder against anyone who hasn't done a timeserved apprenticeship
and secondly its none of your business. i don't have to prove anything to you. I've done my acs and had my inspections from gas safe and passed with flying colours. i've proved my competence to the people that count and thats not you, so you can moan all you want it's not you that make the rules you sanctimonious PRATT.:32: until you prove your the offspring of the messiah stop judging people and get on with your life. people like you make me so angry.

 

[mutley racers]

No way I did 70 days of gas work. I worked for a guy 3 days a week, helping him build his house if he taught me plumbing. Most of the time he would go out on his own when doing boiler breakdown s and leave me putting up plasterboard and stuff. I did do a lot of boiler installs with him, but when it came to the commissioning part he would take me to the house to do other plumbing jobs. Which was rather annoying. The other 2 days I was at college getting the theory.

Over the 2 yrs I had been taken photos of all gas work and I managed to fill a portfolio up but it was never 70 days worth. Enough to satisfy the training centre though.

I must admit, I have found it tough but I have bought lots of books on gas and been on courses so am getting there. But I must admit, I would definitely have benefited more if I went out with a guy who did gas all the time. Not all building works. But no matter what, I am grateful for all he taught me.