Gas Training...now or never!

[tolly]

Hi, Hoping someone can give me a bit of advice.

Im 27 this year and have been working full time as a plumber since the age of 16.

I never got round to doing my gas safe when I was younger as I was too interested in going fishing rather than doing anything work related.

Now im older and self employed im not sure what my options are, I've heard of people needing 100 days worth of Portfolio to complete there ACS training. Is this the normal amount of portfolio work required? All my friends who are GSR are a fair bit older than me and did their training a long time ago so I cant get much help asking them.

I've been very busy with work for the last few years doing commercial new builds all for the same developer and there's a good chance if I take loads of time off to do work with another GSR for my portfolio with I will loose the work which is 95% of my work.

So im after some advice really, what would you do? As much as I wouldn't want to consider a fast track course, would it be more likely I would have less Portfolio work needed rather than going to a "proper" college?



Thanks in advance,

Matt

 

[tolly]

I forgot to say I've already had loads of experience in Gas and worked with a couple of very good gas engys for a number of years prior to me being self employed.

 

[kay-jay]

What area do you live in tolly?

 

[tolly]

What area do you live in tolly?

Hi kay jay,

Im in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey.
.

 

[quality]

you can enroll and complete your ACS without a portfolio (only if you know what your doing) and then register with one of your gas buddies registration as an employee or apply for your own registration. You will need training and be more than your average plumber Joe but gas registration is not difficult if you know what your doing

 

[kay-jay]

Hi kay jay,

Im in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey.
.

Im not familiar with the area but surmise its like most others in that there will be training centres that will take the money and ensure you pass. If you have so.e experience and have done gasworks previously whilst working with a regustered guy you should be able to do away with the portfolio and just enroll on the course.
Lots if revision and a week off for the acs and job done.

 

[Stanios]

Hi tolly,

There is always enough work for a plumber in London so unless you are intending on making a very specific career move getting gas wouldn't benefit your pocket all that much. I've done my gas as nvq so full two years of just gas but once I'm out in the real world you realise you know nothing, water behaviour I can understand, PCB behavoir on the other hand..

Year later I am still banging my head against the boiler wall, installs are good income but to be honest most installs arent even done by gas safe plumbers so short course should be fine.
I've invested loads of time studying boilers for very little return, the rates for someone fixing a blocked drain or fixing a boiler just pretty much the same so I don't know why I bother.

 

[tolly]

thanks for the replys, booked in for an open day at a college in a couple of weeks time. Will keep you posted.

 

[tolly]

Hi tolly,

There is always enough work for a plumber in London so unless you are intending on making a very specific career move getting gas wouldn't benefit your pocket all that much. I've done my gas as nvq so full two years of just gas but once I'm out in the real world you realise you know nothing, water behaviour I can understand, PCB behavoir on the other hand..

Year later I am still banging my head against the boiler wall, installs are good income but to be honest most installs arent even done by gas safe plumbers so short course should be fine.
I've invested loads of time studying boilers for very little return, the rates for someone fixing a blocked drain or fixing a boiler just pretty much the same so I don't know why I bother.

Thanks Stanios, I see where your coming from completely. I wouldn't expect to become GSR and suddenly be able to diagnose every boiler that breakdowns. My background has always been installs, not done much breakdown work with GSR's.

The main reason I want to become GSR would be for installs. Im fine with the work im doing at the minute and it wouldn't benefit me much with a domestic ticket as the jobs im on its normally always done by a commercial bloke because of the meter size even if its a domestic boiler.

But I cant guarantee I will have this work forever so want to have a backup.

 

[tolly]

Thanks for the help everyone, went to an open day this afternoon at Gaslogic and also spoken to another couple of colleges. Looks promising and Portfolio work required doesn't seem as bad as first thought.