Gas Foundation Course. Finding a good mentor to complete portfolio.

[Ilya Panchuk]

Hi Guys.
I'm about to start my Gas Foundation course in November.
There is only one concern and it is to find a good mentor to complete a portfolio. I've been told to go to the local merchants and to ask them for advise and they, probably, could get me in touch with a wright guy.
Just wondering if anyone of you gentelmen knows any other ways to find a wright person?
I'm keen and tidy, working as a Senior Technician at the moment.
Located in Shropshire, Telford.
Thanks in advance.
Ilya

 

[firemant]

Senior Technician as plumber ?

 

[rpm]

Been told to find mentor through merchants eh, how much are you paying for the course?

 

[New Gas Engineer]

Try emailing your local council.

 

[Dan]

We are setting up a mentor section on the forum. So don't go too far.

We have had this running on sparky forum for years and it works. The retired guys, teachers, really great sparks end up as mentors Helping newbies pass their grades. People have found some really good friendships and business contacts doing it too.

 

[Dan]

Been told to find mentor through merchants eh, how much are you paying for the course?

That's irrelevant. No need to find that out!

 

[leelister6]

That's irrelevant. No need to find that out!

Why not? is it not in our interest to keep up to date with training costs etc? Or is it a forum moderator thing?

 

[Deleted member 32524]

Only way I know how is leg work and face to face meetings with decision makers. Good luck. You should secure a mentor before starting the course, I think.

 

[rpm]

That's irrelevant. No need to find that out!

Delete my post then Dan but in all honesty sometimes you come across as not understanding plumbers or the plumbing fraternity.

 

[Dan]

Delete my post then Dan but in all honesty sometimes you come across as not understanding plumbers or the plumbing fraternity.

I understand comments mate. It's my job. You were then going to say 'wow for that much you would think they would teach you' or something.

There's no information you gain by knowing the price pal.

 

[Dan]

Why not? is it not in our interest to keep up to date with training costs etc? Or is it a forum moderator thing?

Because it's nosy. He doesn't need to answer that. Ring them up if you want know prices matey.

 

[rpm]

I understand comments mate. It's my job. You were then going to say 'wow for that much you would think they would teach you' or something.

There's no information you gain by knowing the price pal.

Actually, I was going to say "If you haven`t already signed up and paid I strongly suggest you find the mentor first".

 

[Dan]

Actually, I was going to say "If you haven`t already signed up and paid I strongly suggest you find the mentor first".

I'm sure you were mate. That one didn't need the price did it.

I'm watching every single post on here personally mate so leave your cocky and unhelpful ones out. I don't put people off your business do I?

I know your advice is solid but you cost a lot in time to moderate so unless you change and think before you speak you're going to kick yourself in the teeth. Becauese I've got a list of members who we have needed to spend time wasting on and how much time. And once it gets to an amount, I'll start asking you to leave. And you're heading there on a protata basis already.

End of now. I'm not deleting the post on this one either mate we can let people see we have changed then. 🙂 😉 😀

 

[Dan]

Oh no he's clicked disagree on my post PMSL ooOOOOooooOo

😀

 

[Ilya Panchuk]

Senior Technician as plumber ?

Yes mate. I want to work for myself
[automerge]1569422541[/automerge]

We are setting up a mentor section on the forum. So don't go too far.

We have had this running on sparky forum for years and it works. The retired guys, teachers, really great sparks end up as mentors Helping newbies pass their grades. People have found some really good friendships and business contacts doing it too.

Thanks for reply Dan. I'll keep an eye on that
[automerge]1569422823[/automerge]

Been told to find mentor through merchants eh, how much are you paying for the course?

All I can say, that all the companies has their own prices. They floating between 3000-5000 in my area. The company who provides a mentor along the course will charge you around 8000, hope that helps.
[automerge]1569423067[/automerge]

Actually, I was going to say "If you haven`t already signed up and paid I strongly suggest you find the mentor first".

Actually, I was going to say "If you haven`t already signed up and paid I strongly suggest you find the mentor first".

Yes mate, I know it's critical. Thanks for reply

 

[OffshoreGas]

Hi Guys.
I'm about to start my Gas Foundation course in November.
There is only one concern and it is to find a good mentor to complete a portfolio. I've been told to go to the local merchants and to ask them for advise and they, probably, could get me in touch with a wright guy.
Just wondering if anyone of you gentelmen knows any other ways to find a wright person?
I'm keen and tidy, working as a Senior Technician at the moment.
Located in Shropshire, Telford.
Thanks in advance.
Ilya

Good luck with the training. If you ring round some of the training providers have arrangements with local firms who charge you to come and work with them. It sounds a bit cheeky I know but there is a fair bit of paperwork for them to be done on their part and jobs take longer when you’ve got to explain things etc.

Try and identify what you can offer to your local companies from your past experience. Health and safety? Marketing? Accountancy etc all have a place in any business.

If you’ve not already paid to start your training I’d consider trying to find the mentor first. That is the hardest bit I’ve found.

@Dan that sounds like a really useful idea. Good opportunity for guys coming to retirement to sell on a business they have built etc too.

 

[Dan]

@Ilya Panchuk Absolutely do NOT do this.

Good luck with the training. If you ring round some of the training providers have arrangements with local firms who charge you to come and work with them.

We have ran our ElectriciansForums.net website, along with our plumbers one, and our tilers one, coming upto 14 years. And we have ALWAYS had training companies sponsor us, 10% of all our members and traffic is trainees. They do well out of us.

We have 2.9 million messages on the forums.

This is the first one saying that. And I've never ever heard of it, even from the training centres.

Somebody is pulling somebodys leg there.

You wont need to change provider. Or pay to find a mentor.

Stay with what works best for you personally, and tell anybody else asking about pricing on here to f--- off and go ring one themselves.

We have had our Mentor Scheme running on sparky forum for 4 or 5 years now. We have Retired Electrical Professors, Engineers with PhD's in Engineering, (not just like Gas Engineers 😉 who get the name by job title) and lots of normal retired well over-qualified electricians helping out hundreds of students get them through their training. And they do it well too. We don't allow copying of answers. We don't publish answers. We get the Mentors to put up their own questions and tests. And when you're stuck on an answer, they help you find out the answer, not give it to you.

You will be a very good plumber when we've got our mentors area setup well. And it's free.

A lot of electricians are then just registering for their tests online when they haven't got practical stuff to do also. Which happens every few years even to qualified sparks. I don't think a gas plumber needs to retrain or update themselves qualification wise.

If a training centre SELLS mentors. AVOID THEM LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!!

 

[Deleted member 32524]

Gas safe plumbers every 5 years for resits.

 

[Dan]

Gas safe plumbers every 5 years for resits.

I know we're taking this a bit off topic here but, is that online only now?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I know we're taking this a bit off topic here but, is that online only now?

no have to go back to collage and sit a 3-5 day exam (with training) and then maybe once or twice in that period (5 years) you will either get on site inspected or have to go to a local meeting for a catch up

 

[Dan]

no have to go back to collage and sit a 3-5 day exam (with training) and then maybe once or twice in that period (5 years) you will either get on site inspected or have to go to a local meeting for a catch up

Ahhh I see. So this training area will help with newbies but not those guys I guess.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Ahhh I see. So this training area will help with newbies but not those guys I guess.

you may say that but it might be handy if any of the regs change / get amended etc, least we would have an idea etc

but yes not much for the already qualified guys but were all still learning

 

[OffshoreGas]

Ahhh I see. So this training area will help with newbies but not those guys I guess.

New entrants follow the gas pathway which is a week in a classroom.

Then you have to do 40ish different jobs on site with an engineer/mentor (the difficult bit).

Then an further week in a classroom.

 

[Brambles]

Dan,

There is a lot of miss information in the market place with respect to achieving the ACS qualification that allows an individual to apply for Gas Safe registration.

The concept of the scheme (ACS) is (was) to allow people who are trained / experienced in plumbing to become proficient in Gas.

The suspected evolving issue is that individuals with a very limited background in plumbing / heating are being offered / accepted by training providers for ACS courses.

The emerging issue is that they then don’t have employment in an environment that allows / supports ongoing training to complete the required portfolio.

Generally ( in my experience ) mentors are readily available. However, to sign off an individual job on an ACS portfolio requires a registered gas safe engineer ( or one employee by a supportive company) with the relevant insurance to cover trainees. That is a big difference from the supportive semi retired engineer wanting to help be people enter the industry.

In my view any Awarding Body or Training Organisation has a duty of care to review an individuals circumstances to ensure that all the necessary requirements ( for a successful completion ) are in place before being accepted on a course.

I don’t want to be shot down in flames - but I have had a number of individuals approach me in desperation, who having worked hard to complete the theoretical sidehave no mechanisms in place to complete ( or indeed even start ) the preparation of the required portfolio.

This is not intended to be a criticism of Training Providers, but of all of us in the industry. We have a responsibility to enthuse and properly (and honestly) educate others who want to make a living in the domestic and commercial UK gas industry.

Apologies if this reads as a rant - it is not intended to be so, if it reads so please feel free to delete it.

 

[Chalked]

Dan.
Gas safe quals are very different to come by, compared to Electritian’s and Tiler’s.
Ours is the only one that you can get prosecuted for working out of scope.
For a new applicant they need to complete a portfolio of evidence that in reality, takes about a year. This needs college training too.
Some private providers are advertising that they will get you a mentor to work beside. But they can’t find enough.
My Local college is also trying to find mentors. But my wife who works there, says they are struggling to find 5% of what’s needed.

So In reality what happens is this.
Student finishes level two at college, or does training at a private provider. Then the Lack of guys that are willing to let them work beside them becomes apparent. And nobody wants to help them, as afterwards they will be competing against them. So then the students, who have invested time and money, will work for free, or pay to learn. Thayer have no other choice.