The growing demand for gas engineers has created an excellent opportunity for those seeking a career change. Gas engineers provide an essential service in the installation and maintenance of systems such as boilers, cookers, heaters and more. As the UK continues to rely on skilled engineers to meet both safety standards and energy demands, those entering the field can expect strong career prospects, hands-on work and a competitive starting salary.

In this blog post, we’ll further explore why you should consider retraining as a gas engineer and break down the necessary steps to becoming certified. Whether you’re looking to retrain or change careers altogether, contact us to help guide you through the process.

What’s Involved In Being A Gas Engineer?

Before considering a career change, it’s important to understand a role, including the responsibilities, daily tasks and core skills required. Gas engineers are responsible for installing, maintaining and repairing pipework, central heating systems, water heaters, cookers and more. They also must stay up to date with the latest regulations to be able to conduct safety checks and ensure all work meets legal standards.

A key part of the role involves connecting appliances to the gas supply using safe, industry-approved methods. Engineers also install and test pipework to ensure it’s compliant, secure and leak-free. They also work with central heating systems and perform tasks such as fault-finding, adjusting controls and balancing radiators to ensure equal heat distribution throughout a property.
Another major responsibility is diagnosing and repairing faults. Gas engineers are trained to run system checks to identify issues with appliances and installations. Once a problem is assessed, the necessary repairs can be conducted efficiently and up to industry standards.

Overall, being a gas engineer involves conducting installations, maintenance and repairs to ensure gas systems operate safely and efficiently.

Benefits of Becoming A Gas Engineer

There are many immediate benefits to becoming a gas engineer. For starters, the average starting salary of £32,000 is beneficial to those changing careers, as you won’t have to spend years building a portfolio to attain a competitive salary. There’s also the clear route into a skilled trade, unlike some other career paths that require many years of training, multiple courses and qualifications. By enrolling in a Gas Managed Learning Programme, you can become qualified and begin working within months, rather than years, gaining both hands-on experience and industry-recognised certification.

There is also a steady demand for work, so you won’t have to worry about down periods or work fluctuation, as gas appliances and heating systems will require servicing year-round. In fact, you may even unlock a greater sense of freedom that you may not have had in previous professions, by being able to choose the jobs you want to take.

Steps To Retrain As A Gas Engineer

Becoming a gas engineer is a direct process that offers hands-on training and real career rewards. Here’s how to get started:

Enrol in a training course: A comprehensive gas training course that offers practical on-the-job experience, theoretical knowledge and insight from industry professionals is essential for building the skills and confidence needed to succeed.

Create your portfolio: A portfolio will showcase your broad range of skills and hands-on experience gained during training. It demonstrates your competency in conducting installations, servicing and safety checks, as well as helping with registering for ACS training.

Complete ACS training: Choose the ACS (Accredited Certification Scheme) training course. These include courses in domestic natural gas, commercial heating, commercial catering, commercial laundry, emergency service provider and metering and liquid petroleum gas, each overseen by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).

Sign up to the Gas Safe Register: After completing your ACS training, you need to sign up to the Gas Safe Register to work on gas systems in the UK. Once you’ve officially signed up, you can begin your new and exciting career as a gas engineer.

What Do I Need Before I Start Gas Engineer Training?

Before you begin the Gas Engineer course, there are a few basic skills that can be beneficial to both your training and career. See our guide on how to become a gas engineer for more information.

Qualities and Transferable Skills

Many of the skills you have acquired from previous roles are transferable to becoming a gas engineer. For instance, basic maths skills are essential, as you will regularly be conducting measurements and calculations. Basic problem-solving is also a crucial skill that aids in running diagnostics and finding practical solutions.

Communication skills are integral to daily life and relevant for gas engineers, who frequently work in people’s homes. It’s important to inform customers of potential issues and provide advice on appliance safety. Clear communication helps build trust and avoid misunderstandings with customers.

Qualifications

There are no formal qualifications required to begin gas engineer training. However, having some experience in basic technical skills is a major advantage. Basic experience measuring, working with tools, running diagnostics and understanding how mechanical systems work can make for a smoother learning process. Even if your problem-solving experience is unrelated to gas engineering, the ability to follow instructions and handle tools can be advantageous when starting a new career.

How Long Does Training Take?

It can take just over 24 weeks to complete training to become a gas engineer. It’s broken down into six weeks of training at an approved training centre and 18 weeks of hands-on experience where you will build your portfolio under supervision. When compared to other career paths, many of which require years of study and unpaid placements, this is a straightforward path into a skilled and valued profession.

Gas Course Options To Help You Retrain

MGE offers flexible options such as weekday, evening and weekend courses to help you retrain as a gas engineer. This way, you’re able to complete your training around your existing commitments, beneficial for career changers, working professionals and those with family responsibilities. This flexibility is also beneficial to learn and progress at a pace that suits you, while still acquiring hands-on experience.

Retrain as a Gas Engineer With MGE Training

Book a gas engineer course today by giving us a call on 0121 557 7009, sending us an email at enquiries@mgetraining.co.uk or filling out our contact form. Whether you’re starting a new career or looking to retrain in a more rewarding and in-demand field, our team is here to support you every step of the way.