looking at doing a fast track gas course in the Glasgow area and was wondering if there’s any in the Glasgow area that do these course and after the course is done is it possible to get a job with little experience
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If you use the search box top left you will find a lot of threads like this. If you use google you may be able to find in Glasgow an academy.
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Sharp Point
I’m going to put my neck on the line and say ‘no’, nobody will touch you with a barge pole with no/ little experience.
thats what i thought the company i look at said after the training you would get a job with the top firms if they had postion available
There has been many a sad tale on here where the trainee couldn`t finish the course within the time scale - Be very aware.
Nothing wrong with that mate , incredibly hard industry to get into , however easy if you know a heating engineer you would be probably 75% there .
Try tilling, mind numbing , but a good one is never short of work and its well paid .
As RPM says , Its whats at the end of it pal , sometimes nothing , sorry
Its comeing in at £7500 They said you do your portfolio when your doing your 7 weeks work placement
Are they guaranteeing to provide you with that work placement, or do they expect you to sort it out yourself?
they guarantee you the work placement after your 26 weeks in the training centre
I'd make sure that's written in stone and that there's reviews off genuine trainees who can corroborate it. There's a lot of horror stories of people being left in the lurch with these training centres.
With regards to being employable afterwards, there aren't many employers that will take you on without a few years experience.
So these training centres are only good if you were to go out on your own self employed
What’s the name of the training center? Some of these courses are not worth it. Also follow what Pickwick has said. If they can’t provide the details I’d give them a wide birth.
They seem to checkout online as much as one can tell, ask for references from previous trainees and make sure they’re genuine, etc working for a company.
Unless you have personal contacts in the industry then pretty much yes, there are so many of these training firms churning people out that the qualification is not what is in demand, its experience. Someone inexperienced could cost an employer way more than they bring in and they're not going to take that risk when they can employ someone with a track record.
As @scott_d says, the exception to that is people upskilling from plumbing. This is what I'm in the process of doing and I'd say the group I've been in is split roughly 50:50 between those that are already either gas/water and those from other backgrounds (they have do do an extra 4 weeks). The guys that are not from gas/water background are pretty demoralised at this stage, a couple of them seem to be planning on just doing landlord certs (which I think is wrong) but seeing as you now have to be on the register for at least 6 months before you can do your cookers & fires, I think they're going to struggle.
Thanks for the advice i thinking now the course would be a waste of money if i couldnt get i job after the training
Yep applies to anyone who started training after October 2018. There's also now a minimum 10 week wait between finishing MLP (managed learning programme) and doing CCN1.
No probs, maybe look into tiling as @townfanjon advised. The courses should be shorter (the tilingforum is a great resource), you'd still probably have to go self employed (although ask one the tiling forum I could be wrong) but its a much more viable option with limited experience than gas work and tilers seem to get paid decent money.
Thanks for the advice think i will need to rethink and look futher into this before i book any courses
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Aire
If you really want to get into gas then you really need to work along side a good and competent enginner, believe me I know. I didn't go the usual route and although I'm employed and gas registered, i wouldbt class my knowledge as the same as most engineers and it has held me back. Have you tried British gas? I think they train their engineers up fairly quickly compared to the traditional route and would be a better choice than those training centres.
Yeah I have spoke to British Gas they just said keep looking on our job page for apprenticeship there never mention if they would take someone on who does a course like that have you done a course like that or did u go down a different route?
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Aire
As far as I'm aware, British gas only like to use enginners they've trained up themselves.
The route I went down was long winded. I did 2 years of full-time college followed by getting a work placement with a gas registered company. I stayed with the firm for around 7 years doing alot of domestic gas installation etc but in that time my boss never allowed me back to college to complete my nvq2 and kept promising my I would get gas qualified through a fast track course instead. That never materialised and I left and joined my current construction firm. They have been good to me and paid for me to get my gas qualifications but it took them 4 years to actualy do it and in that time i forgot alot of what id learnt with my previous company. I believe it was around £4k for me to do it. I completed a Small portfolio followed by an access to gas course, which was literally a 2 day 1 on 1 assessment which basically bypassed my nvq3 so I then had the minimum requirement to do my acs which was another 2 days of training and 3 days of assessment. I'm greatful I'm qualified but I'm sure some enginners on here would be horrified at how easy I got it compared to how they did.
If British Gas were to train you up you I would think they would want someone younger rather than someone in there 30s that’s why I was wanting to do fast track course as the apprenticeship takes four years and most company wouldn’t employ a 30 year old apprentice the training course am looking at gives you 7 weeks work placement to get your portfolio built up
You showed a sustained interest in gas work over more than a decade and did the training and passed the tests as and when your circumstances permitted. It doesn't seem like you had it particularly easy to me.
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Aire
I have committed to the trade since I left school at 16. But as I've mentioned in another thread, my portfolio consisted of 6 boiler installs and that was enough to do my access to gas followed by acs. In my opinion I didn't feel I knew enough to pass, and if the assessment was closed book I likely wouldbt have done.
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Aire
The trouble you may have is completing that portfolio in 7 weeks and that all comes down the company they place you with and how many different scenarios they can give you. I'm not saying it's a bad idea, some learn quicker than others. But £7500 is alot of money so I would thourougly look into the course and get it in writing what you will end up with at the end of the course.
They have emailed me over all the information what you do on the course and what you get out it if you pass i know its a lot of money to do the course i just weigh up the pros and cons if i could get a job after the etc and its 6 months course going to be enough especially when apprentices do it in four years and are still learninng after that
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Aire
Well if you pass and struggle with employment you can always register with gas safe yourself and become self employed. You'll find the first year after qualification the hardest as you try to get your name out there but if your committed then nothing should stop you making a success of it. Just don't expect it to be easy that's all
I know it wont be easy am up for the challenge just dont want to be waste a lot of money down the drain thats another thing see if i passed can i apply to be gas safe or do i need a company to do that ? Thanks for the advice
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Aire
What qualification does the course say you will leave with upon completion? That will determine whether you can register with gas safe.
CCN1 – This is the core gas safety certificate which all gas operatives must have to work in the domestic gas industry.
CPA1 – Characteristics of combustion and use of a flue gas analyser.
CENWAT – Installation, service repair and commission of domestic central heating boilers and water heaters.
CKR1 – Installation, exchange, disconnection, servicing and repair of domestic gas cooking appliances.
HTR1 - IInstallation, exchange, disconnection, servicing and repair of gas fires and wall heaters.
Qualifications and Training Added to the Course:
Unvented Hot Water Storage Systems – Installation, servicing and maintenance of unvented hot water systems from 15 to 500 litres.
System Design and Fault Finding – Our own system design and fault-finding course aimed at giving you a better understanding of how central heating systems and boilers work.
• Basic Plumbing
• Basic Electrical Appreciation
• Safe Isolation
CPA1 – Characteristics of combustion and use of a flue gas analyser.
CENWAT – Installation, service repair and commission of domestic central heating boilers and water heaters.
CKR1 – Installation, exchange, disconnection, servicing and repair of domestic gas cooking appliances.
HTR1 - IInstallation, exchange, disconnection, servicing and repair of gas fires and wall heaters.
Qualifications and Training Added to the Course:
Unvented Hot Water Storage Systems – Installation, servicing and maintenance of unvented hot water systems from 15 to 500 litres.
System Design and Fault Finding – Our own system design and fault-finding course aimed at giving you a better understanding of how central heating systems and boilers work.
• Basic Plumbing
• Basic Electrical Appreciation
• Safe Isolation
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Aire
Well if you come out of the course with the mentioned qualifications then yes you will be able to register with gas safe yourself and become self employed. I would recommend that as a last resort though and least try to get a couple of years with a firm to get your experience up.
Thats what i was looking to do get in with a firm get some experience and take it from there do i not need to be with a firm to register as gas safe ? Is there any other qualifications you would recommend?
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Aire
No you don't. If you've got the qualifications you can trade as a sole trader and register with gas safe yourself. As for other qualifications, if your sticking with domestic you shouldn't need anything else. Depending on where you live you can do lpg if there is demand for it in the area.
The plan is just to do domestic and see where that goes tbh am hopeing to get a job with one of the bigger companies to get the experience
The info they've sent you isn't up to date, you have to have been gas safe registered for 6 months before you can CKR1 and same applies for HTR1:
Information for Category 1 gas engineering candidates as of 1 October 2018
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Aire
Thats a reason to query to the cost. If your not going to finish the course with all qualifications advertised then that should reflect in the cost of the course. I'd also wonder why a training centre isn't up to date with the current requirements regarding gas safe registration.
Yeah the company did say that when j was talking to them they said they get you back in and get you refreshed
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Aire
How does that make sense. Surely he is category 3? The six months is for someone already qualified isn’t it?
Yeah that coirse would be handy actually that could be something i could do in bewteen waiting to do my acs
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Aire
Yeah your right harvest, he would be classed as cat3. Interestingly though it states op would have to complete minimum of 12 weeks on site training next to an enginner. Not the 7 quoted by op
Yeah hopefully i will say to them aboit that coirse next time i talk to them thanks
That may be a deal the training centre has? As most fast tracks aren’t 20 odd weeks nowadays.
Its 26 weeks training 7 weeks work placement and another 2 weeks for refresher and acs
That applies to all categories, have to have been on register for 6mnths before they will let you sit either cookers or fires from November 2018 onwards, I've double checked for myself as I started the course that month.
So you are saying that a newly qualified engineer cannot service a gas fire or cooker? Can you post the proper link please mate
Doesn't seem like any of the training centres are altering their pricing. I asked as I just missed out on being able to do them but they wouldn't shift the price. Those starting couple weeks before me got the 2 extra qualifications for the same price which was annoying
Yep that's what we've all been told, I'm going into the training centre tomorrow so I'll see if I can get a link to something official off them.
Just had quick look on the site for the firm I'm training with:
I've cut out the relevant bits:
Here's the link to the full bit:ACS Gas Changes 2018 – What you need to know? - Logic4training
If you check out the link in my previous post it specifically notes:
"Please note: These changes are nationwide and are not coming from Logic4training. All training centres in the UK will have to adhere to the new requirements."
It does seem ridiculous, have heard a couple of different theories off tutors as to the thinking behind it. Some think its part of tightening up on these fast track courses, they want you to spend your first 6 months working on boilers as they see them as less risky than cookers & fires. Others think its to make it harder for people to do these fast track course and then just do landlord certs without having any real hands on experience.
But most properties have a boiler cooker and fire. Here is a link I just looked at and it say nothing.
New Entry Level Category 3 ACS Domestic Gas Safety Training Courses in Hull blended Hull Gas Training Hull Ltd | Emagister
Yep, so doing landlord certs won't be an option for the first 6 months on the register, you're basically limited to boiler installs, repairs & servicing.
Here's another one:
Major changes those undertaking Gas Training Courses NEED to know about
The above is an explanation another tutor gave us.
e2a: just edited the quote, i'd not copied & pasted the time line initially
What price should it be roughly? I have seen another traning centre which is a bit cheaper Gas Foundation Courses | Stirling | Scots Gas Training Ltd
Am in scotland and there is only two local two me the cheeper one comeing in at £5500 but it has one certificate less than the other place
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Aire
I wonder if ops course is more expensive as it promises work experience. Maybe there's a payment to the engineer as a sweetener to offer the placement
- Thats from one of the training centre certification you get
- CCN1 - Domestic core gas safety; this is mandatory when you want to work on appliances
- CENWAT - The installation and repair of domestic central heating boilers
- CKR1 - The installation and repair of domestic cooking appliances
- HTR1 - The installation and repair of domestic space heating appliances
- WRAS - Logic Certified Water Regulations
- G3 Unvented - G3 Unvented Cylinders
- Electrical Safe Isolation - VRQ Safe Isolation
- Asbestos Awareness - VRQ Asbestos training and Assessment
- Health and Safety - VRQ Health and Safety Course
This is the other one
Qualifications and Training Attained on the Course:
CCN1 – This is the core gas safety certificate which all gas operatives must have to work in the domestic gas industry.
CPA1 – Characteristics of combustion and use of a flue gas analyser.
CENWAT – Installation, service repair and commission of domestic central heating boilers and water heaters.
CKR1 – Installation, exchange, disconnection, servicing and repair of domestic gas cooking appliances.
HTR1 - IInstallation, exchange, disconnection, servicing and repair of gas fires and wall heaters.
Qualifications and Training Added to the Course:
Unvented Hot Water Storage Systems – Installation, servicing and maintenance of unvented hot water systems from 15 to 500 litres.
System Design and Fault Finding – Our own system design and fault-finding course aimed at giving you a better understanding of how central heating systems and boilers work.
• Basic Plumbing
• Basic Electrical Appreciation
• Safe Isolation
I have just renewed my ACS and I was the only RGI there. The other 5 members on the ACS examination were all finishing their 8 week block course which IIRC they paid £5500 for.
I was the only one to pass and some of the questions they were asking me on their lunch breaks were laughable.
I was asking why he couldn't solder a joint the week before even though the pipes were cleaned and fluxed etc.
Turns out he thought you could solder with water in the pipes.
TL;DR - You cannot buy experience, so no, it is unlikely you will get a gas/plumbing job after doing a quick course.
An apprenticeship is the best way.
I was the only one to pass and some of the questions they were asking me on their lunch breaks were laughable.
I was asking why he couldn't solder a joint the week before even though the pipes were cleaned and fluxed etc.
Turns out he thought you could solder with water in the pipes.
TL;DR - You cannot buy experience, so no, it is unlikely you will get a gas/plumbing job after doing a quick course.
An apprenticeship is the best way.
I have look at trying to get apprenticeship but at my age i think its very unlikely to get one thats why i wanted to do one of these course and work a long side a plumber for experience
Then maybe your best bet is to get with an RGI at weekends free of charge whilst doing college?
I am unsure to be honest.
The way this countries system works, it is set up to train young people, unfortunately, not the older generation.
I qualified as an engineer from South Lanarkshire College & out of 16 who passed only myself and 1 other are working. Unless you know someone in the industry you are up against it. The Smart Meter route is now gone as the college promised us all jobs but it never happened. Fortunately I showed how committed I was and got a good reference for a job but feel for my classmates who worked hard in a year to get their ACS etc..
I contacted doith Lanarkshire college to do there foundation gas course but there never had any at night or at weekends do you think that course is a waste of time if some of your class mates arent in a job?
It isn't that they are a waste of time mate, nothing is a waste of time when learning.
The problem is, you have young people doing 3 year apprenticeships, on the job everyday, going for the same job as you would be after qualifying.
Now as an employer, would you rather employ somebody with 8 weeks experience or 3 years for the same money? It's just the way it is I am afraid.
you do your Gas Foundationin the 1st 6mths F/T & then you do your ACS. They spoke of doing the ACS at the end of the 6mths & everyone getting a job in Smart meters as a start but we ended up doing it in month 12 and smart metering jobs didnt happen.
Not going to lie, it's hard going as it's studying every night and if you want to come out on top then it takes a lot of sacrifice especially with weekends etc.. Its what you put into it. You get funding for the course if accepted so you wouldn't pay for it and would also get a Bursary and help with your mortgage/rent which helped me.
You should contact the college for more info but try suss out a company just now to do your portfolio with. Not gona lie its not easy but I'm enjoying my Job & want to work for myself in a couple years but you need experience with a Firm after you qualify that gives you the support. That's my opinion anyway.
Hope this helps
Was it hard to get a job after you had finished the course? Hiw long did it take you ? City of glasgow college do the gas foundation course one day a week for 6 months am looking at that the now failing that i will go to skills training group
Its more of who you know when you qualify as although you have the required certificates Employers are only interested in experience and how are you meant to get experience unless someone gives you a chance????? Catch 22 hence why you really need to know someone within a company to help get you started
Yeah like most jobs need so many years experience but you cant get experience without some company taken a chance on you but in saying that skills training group has a work placement in place for your portfolio hopefully that company may take me on after that
Don't be dragged into that thought of the placement company maybe taking you on. Everyone always thinks that buddy
Yeah the company did say that not everyone get a job though the work placement just depens how well u do on it
Hi @Pickwickpick
From your post above it looks like you are doing your gas with Logic4training?
I am thinking of doing the same, would you recommend it?
How is the course going?
Thanks
From your post above it looks like you are doing your gas with Logic4training?
I am thinking of doing the same, would you recommend it?
How is the course going?
Thanks
Sorry about the delay @WC1 in getting back to you, last week was crazy work wise thanks to a customer doubling the amount of work in a week where I had another job with imovable deadlines, leading to 14h+days and then just sleeping all weekend. Had tried to pm you but won't seem to let me.
Yes I am using Logic4training, I went with them as I'd had a couple of word of mouth recommendations and unlike other training centers I contacted they weren't doing too much of a hard sell.
I think they are probably about as good as can be within the confines of this sort of course and the tutors I've had have all been really good, passionate about gas, good fun and really keen on passing on their knowledge and best practice. The course has worked quite well for me as have bout 6yrs experience plumbing as sole trader, got taught a lot when I was young by family that are in the trade including more recently helping out my uncle up in Manchester who has been doing gas for 40yrs.
During the MLP (the main 3 week tution with some tests at the end of it which you have to complete before you can do CCN1, the final exam once portfolio signed off) we were in class of 10, about half of us with plumbing experience and about half with none, they did a 4 week 'plumbing' course before hand and I really don't see how they are going to be able to work in the field and it was a bit frustrating at times having some of them slowing things down quite a bit, but think that's going to be the case on any of these courses.
The other thing that I like about them is that they have booted out people that are clearly not cut out for it/dangerous, know that not all training centers would do that.
On a whole if this sort of course is the right thing for you I would recommend them. You will learn the safety side of things, but won't really get that much practical experience, if that makes sense. e.g. you will know rules and regs, how do all the safety checks, but there won't be any practice in actually fitting a boiler, repairing a boiler, doing pipework... Do you know how you would go about doing the portfolio side of things?
Happy to chat more about it/answer any questions, just drop us a pm or something
Haha! I would say the same, I tried to pm you but couldn't.
I've changed my settings, give it another go when you have a minute 😉
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