Course

Gas Engineering Operative


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Course overview

Gas Engineers install and maintain gas appliances in a domestic or non-domestic setting.  Appliances can include but are not limited to, a range of work categories such as central heating boilers, unvented hot water storage, ducted air heaters, cookers, space heaters, meters, alternative fuel, boosters, testing, and purging for industrial pipework.

Roles in gas engineering are physical in nature and may involve lifting and moving equipment, working at heights, and working in confined spaces.

Customer service skills and being tidy and respectful are important qualities for a gas engineer as they can often find themselves working in customers’ homes. Responsibilities will include explaining how installations and appliances work, providing energy efficiency advice, and ensuring customer service excellence at all times.

By the end of the apprenticeship, gas engineers will be registered on the Gas Safe® Register as competent to undertake work on at least four appliances.

Course facts


Course Length

Entry Requirements

How much does it cost?

Qualification

Course Length


Two to three years depending on the levels of experience the apprentice already has.

Entry Requirements


For those starting BEFORE 01 August 2024
You will need to achieve Level 2 Functional Skills in English and maths, if you don’t already have these qualifications or equivalent GCSEs.

Equivalent GCSEs are grade C or higher or grade 4 or higher. If you are not quite at this level, you will have the opportunity to work towards these qualifications as part of your apprenticeship.

These qualifications need to be achieved before the End Point Assessment is taken.

For those starting ON OR AFTER 01 August 2024
Important notice: our entry requirements are changing for all apprenticeships starts as of 1st August 2024. Find out more.

In addition. you will need to be aged 16 and over for your employer to benefit from support funding.  If you’re older than 19, your employer may need to put some of their own money towards your studies.

You will need to have been a UK resident for the previous three years, or a national of any European Union (EU) country or European Economic Area (EEA) for the previous three years. This is unless you have an immigration status which exempts you from the three-year residency requirement. Contact JTL for more information about this.

You can apply for an apprenticeship while you’re still in education, but you need to have left before you can start with us. As a rule of thumb, you must have left compulsory education after the last Friday in June of the academic year in which you are applying.

You will need an employer before you can start an apprenticeship, although you can apply before you’ve arranged one.

How much does it cost?


The full training cost for a Gas Engineering Apprenticeship is £22,000, however as an apprentice you will not be required to pay anything towards your apprenticeship other than any travel costs you may incur getting to and from your employer’s workplace.

For employers there is no cost for hiring an apprentice aged 16 to 18 years.  If you recruit an apprentice aged 19 or over then the costs are 5 per cent of the full cost of the apprenticeship (e.g. £1,100 over 4 years).

For apprentice wages, JTL recommend that employers follow the JIB pay rates.

Please note: Apprentices who are aged between 16 and 24 years old, and who have been in local authority care are eligible to receive a bursary. This payment is paid directly to eligible apprentices via JTL. For apprentices who start their apprenticeships up to and including 31 July 2023, the bursary is a single payment of £1,000. It can only be received once by an individual care leaver. For apprentices starting their apprenticeship on or after 1 August 2023, the bursary will be £3,000. It is payable in instalments over the first year of the apprenticeship.

Qualification


Level 3 Diploma in Gas Engineering

Awarding body – BPEC and City & Guilds

You can view full details of the standard for the Gas Engineering Level 3 qualification here.

Module information

Course details

Apprentices will complete the level 3 gas engineering qualification to develop the skills, knowledge, and behaviours they need to safely install, commission, decommission and service and repair gas appliances in either a domestic or non-domestic setting.

Years 1-3
  • Health and safety in gas utilisation
  • Scientific principles in gas utilisation
  • Combustion and properties of gas
  • Buildings, services, and structures
  • Gas safety principles
  • Specific core installation and maintenance
  • Tightness test, purge, commission, and de-commission gas pipework up to 35 mm (1¼) diameter in small gas installations
  • Install, commission, and de-commission gas pipework up to 35 mm (1¼) diameter in domestic and small commercial premises
  • Install domestic gas water heaters and wet central heating appliances
  • Maintain gas water heating and wet central heating appliances
  • The installation, commissioning, and safety aspects of hot water systems for domestic use in accordance with UK building regulations

Delivery and Assessment

The course is usually delivered on a day-release basis, meaning you will go to college or a JTL training centre for one day a week and spend the rest of your time at work. Some of our centres offer a block release option.

The End Point Assessment (EPA) is expected to take place in the final 3 months of the apprenticeship. You must pass this to complete your apprenticeship and become a fully qualified engineer. The EPA consists of a multiple-choice knowledge assessment and a portfolio assessment which includes gas safe registration, a competency test, a work log review, and an interview.

Grades of Pass and Distinction are available.

You can view full details of the standard for the Gas Engineering Level 3 qualification here.

JTL Learners in classroom

Why choose JTL?

  • Free starter toolkit in your first year*
  • Free study books
  • Dedicated training officer 
  • Free recruitment service 
  • Full equipped workshops at our dedicated training centres 
  • Dedicated support/EIC/JIB registered electrician skills development fund 
  • JIB PMES apprentice card 
  • Help accessing funds
  • Free recruitment process for employers
  • Ofsted Grade 2 GOOD Provider 
  • Regional national awards
  • CSCS card

*Once you have completed 3 months of your apprenticeship.

JTl-26 lo res

Equality and Diversity

JTL is committed to equality and diversity for all. We want to establish a culture of equality and diversity so that all applicants, apprentices, employers, sub-contractors and staff have the opportunity to work in and towards an environment that is non-discriminatory.

Equality and Diversity

Career progression

Successful apprentices are eligible for membership with the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers (IGEM) and professional registration as an Engineering Technician (EngTech).

Fully qualified gas engineering apprentices can progress into roles such as supervising an apprentice, supervisory roles, project management roles, owning and managing their own business, advanced engineering, design and planning, teaching, or training others.

As a fully qualified plumber you can go on to earn close to £32,000 per year (£31,787 )*

*Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2019 complied by the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Data is published annually in November.

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Redrow

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“At Redrow, we are always looking for new routes in which we can be more sustainable and have found that this is a topic that the JTL apprentices have been very passionate about.

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Mazidur Rahman

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"There have been some challenges thrown at me on my journey to becoming qualified, such as moving to online learning during the global pandemic. However, these challenges have made achieving my goal feel like an even greater accomplishment and have made me grateful for the ongoing support I received from my JTL Training Officer along the way."

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Thomas Turner

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“If you’re interested in an apprenticeship, I would definitely recommend it. You need to be prepared for hard work, but you can grow skills quickly and progress if you’re willing to put the effort in.” 

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Demi Whitehead

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"I would recommend an apprenticeship to anyone because you get so much support — support from your employer, the college and the training provider."

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How to apply


1

Complete online application form

2

Pass our JTL initial assessment

FAQs

Need more information?

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