At Able Skills we have been providing Gas training courses for 20-years helping people gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to become professional Gas Engineers. The last 12-months have been challenging for all of us, however, despite this Gas Engineers have found a way to continue working safely and have even seen a rise in both demand and earnings. Let's take a look at the statistics and the gas courses that we offer...
How much are Gas Engineers earning?
According to recent statistics their average salary has risen around 10% during the start of 2021 compared to 2020. Meaning the average Gas Engineer currently earns around £56,800 a year! This is great news for those working in the industry as it means that there is plenty of work out there. Lockdown has obviously slowed a lot of projects down but for those working in the domestic sector, they have found more work than ever as people spend more and more time at home using their appliances.
What's going on in the industry?
Another reason for the inflation and general increased demand for Gas Engineers comes from the lack of skilled professionals. There is a skills-gap in the industry, simply put there isn't enough qualified engineers out there increasing demand for engineers and increasing the pay for those with the skills and ability. 50% of all current engineers are over the age of 55, which means that in the next 10-years all of these engineers could have retired, leaving even more of a shortage. Which will only continue to increase they earnings for professionals. There has never been a better time to learn the trade.
Interested in training?
At our centre we are very proud of the quality of training courses that we offer. Our Gas courses are no different and are taught by absolute experts in the field with years of experience both teaching their trade and working out in the industry. Becoming a qualified Gas Engineer is not easy, however, we aim to make the process as straightforward as possible by putting all of the necessary training steps into packages...
For example our New Entrant Gas Training Package 2 is a complete package of training that incudes 7-weeks of hands-on practical training and theory sessions, portfolio completion and an ACS Assessment. All of which are needed in order to register with Gas Safe and eventually begin working. This collection of training will essentially teach you to become a professional from scratch.
The initial 7-weeks of training will cover a huge range of topics starting from the fundamentals and moving on to more advanced aspects of the trade. There will be written exams and practical assessments throughout the training period. Upon successful completion of this course, you will be provided with a Bpec Foundation Portfolio and guidance for completion.
To move forward from here you will need to find yourself a placement working alongside a registered engineer in order to collect evidence and create a portfolio. With their assistance, you will undertake a variety of gas work on a variety of appliances to meet the requirements of the portfolio to move you on to your formal gas assessments (ACS).
Finally, after completing a portfolio you will look to take on an ACS Assessment. The tests that you take on will be determined by the evidence you have gained during your work placement and portfolio building. In addition you will take on CCN1 (Core Gas Safety). The tests will be taken here at our centre, take a look below at all of the appliances that can be covered through an ACS...
CCN 1/CPA1: Core Gas Safety
CENWAT 1: Central Heating Boilers
CPA 1: Combustion Performance Analysis
CKR 1: Domestic Cookers
HTR 1: Gas Fires and Wall Heaters
MET 1: Meters
DAH 1: Warm Air Heating Appliances
For more information:
If you would like some more information about our range of Gas courses contact us over the phone on 01322 280 202. We are happy to answer any questions that you have and generally provide guidance on how the journey to becoming a Gas Engineer works. Alternatively, you can contact us via email on info@ableskills.co.uk or you are welcome to come and visit our office in person. We are open 7-days-a-week between the hours of 8:30 - 16:30!