electrician vs gas engineering

[aurora123]

Hi

I'm confused on whether to do a gas course and become a gas engineer or do some electrical course. I'm 18 and didn't apply for university; and I did a levels in bio, chem and psychology and did good on them. But someone introduced to the gas trade and got quite interested. I don't mind do either but i need help deciding which would be most best in terms quickly settling in to the trade and which trade is less dying

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[gmartine]

less dying? less risk of dying or less trying?

Interesting question...if you're concerned about killing yourself you probably have a better chance electrocuting yourself than gassing yourself or blowing yourself up. Doing gas work despite the Hollywood perception its quite difficult to fill a place with gas and then have it light accidentally and unnoticed. A gas main ruptured in my road and the whole street was evacuated, well I stayed and yeah the workmen were pretty casual about it as thousands of litres of gas p****ed out. They might as well have been smoking tabs they were so horizontal, anyway you take my point if the gas isn't confined and there's no spark source there isn't a great deal of danger.

Gaswork is harder on the body. We are dealing with heat, chemicals, heavy boilers and lots of kit, a leccy just needs a screwdriver and a pair of snips,

 

[Ben-gee]

I think he meant which market has longevity as a viable trade.

 

[aurora123]

I think he meant which market has longevity as a viable trade.

He knew what I meant but is just Soding about

 

[aurora123]

I need a answer asap plz

 

[Chuck]

If you are reasonably dexterous, like building stuff and have good spatial awareness I'd say put plumbing / gas as first choice. If you enjoy diagrams, making measurements and trying to deduce logically what they are telling you I'd put electrical work as 1st choice.

Both trades are hard work but they can be interesting. If you stay in the domestic area you should probably aim to become self-employed or a co-owner once you have a decade or so of experience so try to pick up some business skills as you go. You need to pay more attention to health and safety than my generation did or you'll only have about 25 years before something, often bad knees, stops you in your tracks.

 

[aurora123]

If you are reasonably dexterous, like building stuff and have good spatial awareness I'd say put plumbing / gas as first choice. If you enjoy diagrams, making measurements and trying to deduce logically what they are telling you I'd put electrical work as 1st choice.

Both trades are hard work but they can be interesting. If you stay in the domestic area you should probably aim to become self-employed or a co-owner once you have a decade or so of experience so try to pick up some business skills as you go. You need to pay more attention to health and safety than my generation did or you'll only have about 25 years before something, often bad knees, stops you in your tracks.

What would you say is best overall? I know every course suits everyone different. But for
The future what will be more better etc

 

[gmartine]

He knew what I meant but is just Soding about

I really wasn't or I wouldn't have bothered with the lengthy answer. Anyhow try and do both, pretty handy having both trades as they will always be needed although the gas side of things is due for a change in terms how folks will heat their homes. Electrical theory will be the same, you want a definitive answer to decide your future which isn't reasonable. Do your research and go to the Electrical forum, talk to the course tutors and see what they say to get a balanced idea.

 

[king of pipes]

Wind power will be the biggest producer of power hear in the UK in the near future by 2025 no gas will be connected to new build properties?, air source will be the go to form of heat fossil fuels will still play a major part in some form for the next 20 years in my opinion, your obviously a bright pupil if you could find a renewable energy position I would probably say go down that route in some way either domestically or commercially with the many power companies now investing in wind technology . Regards Kop

 

[Roy_66]

Wind power will be the biggest producer of power hear in the UK in the near future by 2025 no gas will be connected to new build properties?, air source will be the go to form of heat fossil fuels will still play a major part in some form for the next 20 years in my opinion, your obviously a bright pupil if you could find a renewable energy position I would probably say go down that route in some way either domestically or commercially with the many power companies now investing in wind technology . Regards Kop

Hi KOP,

Do you think the hydrogen down the gas mains is a pipe dream ? (I'm in two minds). Roger B. talks about existence of Pilot schemes.

Cheers,

Roy

 

[Roy_66]

Dear Aurora,

I'm going to ask you a curve ball question first. I note no maths A level (and beyond)

a) Is that something you might like to do (you are still plenty young enough)
b) are you in a position financially to do that?

Remember you can learn yourself now from the internet, if the teaching you are subject to is no good.

Personally I'd go for the gas, it just seems more satisfying work to me (do the electrics as well as a second string, you would be very valuable then)

Now are you in good physical shape and have ability to stay that way? (Professional Trades are tough. At 18 we all think we are indestructible. . . .)

P.S. Is molecular biology not of interest ? I think there will be amazing opportunities there as we enter the age of fully scientific medicine (Please put the COVID hoo ha to one side if thinking about that)

P.P.S. I'll have to think about the Psychology . . .

Cheers,

Roy (I avoided Chemistry after A level because at 18 I thought it was deadly. Its what keeps us alive . . . . )

 

[aurora123]

Dear Aurora,

I'm going to ask you a curve ball question first. I note no maths A level (and beyond)

a) Is that something you might like to do (you are still plenty young enough)
b) are you in a position financially to do that?

Remember you can learn yourself now from the internet, if the teaching you are subject to is no good.

Personally I'd go for the gas, it just seems more satisfying work to me (do the electrics as well as a second string, you would be very valuable then)

Now are you in good physical shape and have ability to stay that way? (Professional Trades are tough. At 18 we all think we are indestructible. . . .)

P.S. Is molecular biology not of interest ? I think there will be amazing opportunities there as we enter the age of fully scientific medicine (Please put the COVID hoo ha to one side if thinking about that)

P.P.S. I'll have to think about the Psychology . . .

Cheers,

Roy (I avoided Chemistry after A level because at 18 I thought it was deadly. Its what keeps us alive . . . . )

I got a levels of AA in bio and chemistry, initially wanted to do chemical engineering but couldn’t move out. Because of lockdown I lost complete interest and just got interested into the trade.i heard a lot of people are doing gas and you must do plumbing before gas so I’m really really confused for which one to go for. TBH I’m more interested in the theory part.

 

[king of pipes]

Hi KOP,

Do you think the hydrogen down the gas mains is a pipe dream ? (I'm in two minds). Roger B. talks about existence of Pilot schemes.

Cheers,

Roy

Its happening right now Roy there's a hydrogen blending trial being carried out in Winlaton Gateshead early 2021 so it's coming, more training we will have to do and more money to pay out for the qualification.Regards Kop

 

[Ric2013]

He knew what I meant but is just Soding about

Well I didn't know what you meant either, to be fair.

Have you an opportunity to get some site experience? If you don't have contacts already, perhaps you could do as I did and get a Construction Site Operative card or the new equivalent? Apparently the new Labourer's card needs a Level 1 qualification which you should find relatively easy (but do check the exact requirements and remember there are sometimes ways around obstacles... once you know what the obstacles are!) and then you can get some temp work with Hays Construction or whoever is in your area. It might give you a chance to see what the trades are actually like, at least to some degree (site work, domestic, and commercial will, of course have their individualities). That's if work is available at present.

Given the Covid situation, if you want to study, now might be a good time as one might hope for some level of economic uplift when this hopefully clears up, though I realise many courses follow the academic year.

I do feel it is a major failing of the education system that academically gifted people are forced out of school at 18 and feel a need to decide on an HE path at that age, when they often haven't a clue what they want to do in life, career-wise. To be honest, a year's work experience is no bad thing and you may decide on a degree-level course in construction management after that. Or you may never want to see another building site.

 

[Brambles]

I think you need to be honest with yourself - are you looking for job satisfaction or which is the most lucrative strand?

The are three / four sectors : Electrical - Renewables ( air / ground and water source) - gas with plumbing and plumbing.

For renewables you will need to be a decent plumber / pipe fitter - generally larger diameter pipes and properly designed heating systems ( or they don’t work). The electrical element is also generally in the area of 30 to 40 amp connections - to trade alone or as a Company in domestic renewables you will need MCS accreditation. High average contract values.

Gas is an excellent qualification - a good stepping stone to move into renewables or other sectors. In my experience you need a large Customer base to keep the volume of work coming through. The future impact of no gas in new builds will be felt - manufactures will turn away from launching new products into the market. Hydrogen? Who knows? Coal ( or Towns) gas was predominantly hydrogen albeit with embedded CO2 and CO - so the technology to convert is there - but safety standards are higher now.

Electrical - to me there seems to be a high volume of work - most properties in the Uk are limited by their incoming electrical supply - you can charge an electric car or have a heat pump - but rarely both on a single phase supply.

Be careful of trying to be a Jack of all Trades - the ongoing accreditation costs Gas Safe, Oftec, MCS, et al are not insignificant and involve ongoing training

 

[gmartine]

Its happening right now Roy there's a hydrogen blending trial being carried out in Winlaton Gateshead early 2021 so it's coming, more training we will have to do and more money to pay out for the qualification.Regards Kop

Yep, I'm not sure about all the range but the Viessman 200 is already hydrogen mix compliant or hydrogen ready and over time will be able to be converted to 100% hydrogen I suspect with a change of burner, so the boiler as a means of home heating is by no means dead or dying.

 

[gmartine]

To the OP...I'm not sure you're really cut out for this given your interests and qualifications, it's tough out there at the moment especially for youngsters but if you really have the grades and can hang on for six months then you maybe be better off applying for something more theoretical. Whether that's HE or FE or OU or even an apprenticeship...you could get a head start now and start researching and applying for September/October entry.

 

[plumbingdoctor]

I need a answer asap plz

Hello Aurora123

Just follow your passion and at the end of the day, you will fulfill your dreams. follow what's on the links of your thread.

Cheers

I need a answer asap plz

 

[green grant]

Hi

I'm confused on whether to do a gas course and become a gas engineer or do some electrical course. I'm 18 and didn't apply for university; and I did a levels in bio, chem and psychology and did good on them. But someone introduced to the gas trade and got quite interested. I don't mind do either but i need help deciding which would be most best in terms quickly settling in to the trade and which trade is less dying

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Report

bio chem and psychology (no one abbreviates their A Levels like this) "I did good on them" LOL...."which is less dying" I'm calling this one as BS....

 

[green grant]

I got a levels of AA in bio and chemistry, initially wanted to do chemical engineering but couldn’t move out. Because of lockdown I lost complete interest and just got interested into the trade.i heard a lot of people are doing gas and you must do plumbing before gas so I’m really really confused for which one to go for. TBH I’m more interested in the theory part.

BS

 

[aurora123]

BS

Why don’t you believe me? Do you want me to send the certificates?

 

[aurora123]

bio chem and psychology (no one abbreviates their A Levels like this) "I did good on them" LOL."which is less dying" I'm calling this one as BS.

I just speak like that, what’s wrong with abbreviation? How else do you want me to tell you I performed well?

 

[leelister6]

If you're a lazy git who doesn't mind leaving all your crap for other trades to clean up then sparky is the way to go.

 

[Ric2013]

I just speak like that, what’s wrong with abbreviation? How else do you want me to tell you I performed well?

We all speak like that. It isn't generally accepted as good practice, however, to abbreviate words in written English. Acronyms (e.g. BBC, HMRC, NI) are acceptable, but shorthand such as rads, hex, bio and chem are not. There is, of course, a grey area and most people would accept 'bus', 'bra', 'pram', and 'maths' as if they were not abbreviations at all, and, in all but formal contexts, it is now common to see abbreviations such as 'weren't' and 'can't'.

Further, and I'm speaking for myself here but I think others will agree, if you have the educational background to be able to write 'correctly', it is respectful to others if you do so. In your case, it would have saved gmartine the time that was spent answering the question you didn't intend had you been clearer what you meant by 'dying'.

In fairness to you, though, we all know A levels are not as academic as they used to be and you can obtain 3 very respectable grades without perfect spelling , punctuation, and grammar. Had you listed English Literature as a subject you studied and obtained an AA/A*/whatever the hell they call it now in, I would have expected perfection, but as you have concentrated on sciences, I'm ('I am') not calling bullshit.

And this is a web forum after all, not a formal letter!

 

[king of pipes]

I just speak like that, what’s wrong with abbreviation? How else do you want me to tell you I performed well?

Don't worry about all the negativity on here aurora some of us have less patience than others, you will find as you go through your life you really do need to communicate well customers, employers, others you work with need you to fully understand them, and also be understood yourself it's vitality important as health and safety plays a big part in the building trade, mistakes are made and quite often they could of been avoided if people communicated better.
Now career wise ? we we're all 18 years old once and I like you didn't really know what I wanted to do but it's a decision you need to make and you need to do it now really, there are less opportunities now with the pandemic and companies and employers want the best candidates with the best grades any of the two trades will provide a good career for you, but as others have said you need a bit of passion you really don't won't to be stuck doing a job you hate, so it's either you get some experience in both trades before making that decision or you jump in and go for one or the other no one can make that decision but you. Best of luck Kop

 

[Brambles]

Chem Eng. - it is wrong to raise salary expectations to a new start in what is a rapidly shrinking industry in the UK

 

[Chuck]

Chemical engineering graduates starting out could expect £35k. 10 years in, £150k min. Plumber tops @ £35k career best

According to the IChemE 2018 salary survey the median new graduate salary was £28.4k. The median salary for chartered chemical engineers in the 30-34 yr age band, i.e. '10 years in' was £56k.

https://www.icheme.org/media/14843/final-salary-survey-2018-low_res-january-2019-min.pdf

I don't know where your figure for '£35k career best' comes from but it's a long way short of what's possible:

He's flush! The plumber who earns £210,000 and doesn't work weekends

Plumber Stephen Fry is proof of just how lucrative the trade can be – as any homeowner who has faced a bill for an emergency call-out may well suspect. At 34, he earns £210,000 a year.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[aurora123]

According to the IChemE 2018 salary survey the median new graduate salary was £28.4k. The median salary for chartered chemical engineers in the 30-34 yr age band, i.e. '10 years in' was £56k.

https://www.icheme.org/media/14843/final-salary-survey-2018-low_res-january-2019-min.pdf

I don't know where your figure for '£35k career best' comes from but it's a long way short of what's possible:

He's flush! The plumber who earns £210,000 and doesn't work weekends

Plumber Stephen Fry is proof of just how lucrative the trade can be – as any homeowner who has faced a bill for an emergency call-out may well suspect. At 34, he earns £210,000 a year.

www.dailymail.co.uk

I was thinking the same

 

[Chuck]

I was thinking the same

Yeah, but don't mistake what's possible in terms of salary with what's likely. £35k is probably not far from the median salary for a plumber employed by a company in a part of the country where the cost of living is 'average'. That's why so many take the self-employed path.

 

[Ric2013]

OP: It's been pointed out to me that what you need to charge per hour =

(your desired annual salary + overheads) / your desired annual working hours.

It really is that simple.

A plumber that earns £210,000 per year? Okay. So assume you work a 38-hour week and take 5.6 weeks' holiday and want a taxable income of £210,000, that takes £119 per hour (after you've paid all your expenses). Obviously your hourly rate needs to be higher than this to cover expenses and also to cover time spent travelling, time spent quoting, time spent cleaning the van and buying tools which you won't invoice for, and people who waste your time. You're going to struggle to find customers willing to pay whatever you estimate that final hourly rate to be, unless you are carrying out emergency repairs in London all day every day.

The "Mail" lets it slide that the plumber works 50 hours a week, plus is on call Monday and Tuesday nights. So 78-hour weeks, possibly. Being self-employed, he may not even take a holiday, but I'm assuming 5.6 weeks' holiday anyway. If there are no unchargeable hours and no expenses (accountant, insurance etc), he's probably earning £58 an hour. Not all of us are up to working those kinds of hours. I suppose he won't live to take much in the way of pension, but the "Mail" loves this kind of story for reasons that would be off-topic.

I'm encouraged that you want to do plumbing because you're 'interested'. That's a better reason than the perceived money (and my feeling is that if you never stop studying and changing, your business will always be sustainable). But forget £210,000 a year otherwise you're just running on a hedonic treadmill.

 

[kasser]

OP does well already to eschew uni.

 

[WC1]

Hi KOP,

Do you think the hydrogen down the gas mains is a pipe dream ? (I'm in two minds). Roger B. talks about existence of Pilot schemes.

Cheers,

Roy

It's here.
Pilot project going on now.
I was on a very interesting webinar a couple of months ago via gas safe I think.

Pioneering hydrogen project takes first step in South Bank | Northern Gas Networks

South Bank in Redcar and Cleveland could become the base for the next phase of a pioneering hydrogen energy project aimed at reducing carbon emissions, as

www.northerngasnetworks.co.uk

I'm surprised there isn't more talk of it on this forum.
Due to electrical resistance you can't shovel as much energy into a home down a wire as down a pipe.
@aurora123 - what did the guys at electrician forum say??????

---

 

[kasser]

Can someone tell me where all this hydrogen is going to come from, once all natural gas is replaced by hydrogen?
It's not as if this gas is waiting to be pumped out of the ground. It needs to be produced using electricity and there isn't going to be enough for this + electric vehicles.

 

[WC1]

Can someone tell me where all this hydrogen is going to come from, once all natural gas is replaced by hydrogen?
It's not as if this gas is waiting to be pumped out of the ground. It needs to be produced using electricity and there isn't going to be enough for this + electric vehicles.

You make a good point. Have a look round, it's called green hydrogen and more recently turquoise hydrogen. I am not saying it will become a practicality but a lot is being spent on the research.

 

[WC1]

I think it's all fairly colourless.