Gas Training Package Overview
This is the Gold Package amongst the Gas training packages that we offer. If you have no prior experience undertaking anything remotely relating to domestic plumbing or gas work then this comprehensive complete gas training package is ideal for you.
What You Will Learn
The training package comprises of:
- Training in the use of copper and low carbon steel so that your pipe skills are established at an acceptable standard.
- Extended comprehensive gas and plumbing training
- Training in all areas of domestic gas and gas safety
- We will provide a work placement to build evidence for a mandatory portfolio
- Boiler Fault Finding / Heating Controls and Wiring Course
- We will provide assessment for the purposes of achieving your Core Gas Safety (CCN1) and related appliances, certificated by BPEC.
This is without a doubt the most comprehensive package of learning that we have for any New Entrant looking to change career and move into the gas industry. From start to finish; from novice to Gas Safe registered Engineer.
Although this package is predominantly aimed at those who have little in the way of basic site skills and no plumbing qualifications, there is no reason why anyone who wants to be the best they possibly can be, shouldn’t consider this package if they have the time and money available to them.
Stage 1
This aspect of the process of becoming gas safe registered will ensure that you have the pipe skills required to ensure that the standards and safety of any gas work you undertake are spot on.
It is crucial that you are able to guarantee that any pipe-work you undertake as a Gas Engineer is a fail-safe as any errors could prove fatal. To give you the best possible chance of completing Able Skills Gas Training and Assessment processes successfully, this course will provide the following:
- Cutting and measuring copper tube accurately
- Pipe-work preparation for soldering
- Soldering techniques / Practicing soldering/soldering assessments
- X and Z dimension calculations
- Cutting assembling and soldering practice frames to specific dimensions
- How to assemble compression fittings/compression fitting assessments
- The use of different types of jointing pastes for compression jointing
- Cutting assembling and jointing compression fittings frames to specific dimensions
- Cutting and treading low carbon steel pipe
- Jointing steel pipe
- The use of different fittings on steel pipe
- All pipe-work is tested to 3 bar for 3 min
- Hot and cold water theory
Your competence will be assessed under Bpec criteria and once you have shown your competence in this area you will have much more confidence once you move onto the Gas course.
Stage 2
This aspect of the process to becoming gas safe registered will build on the skills achieved in week 1 but is more so designed to get you ready for the portfolio process. The skills taught at this stage will ensure that you are ready to undertake the various tasks that are required once you are working with a Gas Safe registered Engineer in a real working environment:
- Heating Controls – theory
- Different types of heating systems
- Different types of heating controls and their functions
- Fixing a simulated combination boiler jig
- Fixing all necessary pipework
- Running pipework under floors
- Marking out and fixing radiators simulating ground and upper floors
- Water testing
- Positioning an indirect cylinder in an airing cupboard
- Connecting cold water supplies to a cylinder
- Hot water pipework from the cylinder
- Cold water distribution from a simulated loft area
Stage 3
This next 3 weeks long Gas course is essential training and assessment for all candidates looking to gain access to the Gas Industry. Gas training is a mandatory part of becoming Gas Safe registered.
Week 1 – This week will provide you with a great insight into the Gas industry and present you with an understanding of the guidelines and regulations which currently govern the ACS scheme.
During this week of gas training, we will cover basic heating systems and heating controls, gas appliance functions and the basic principles of flues and combustion to give candidates the knowledge required to move forward to the next aspect of this Gas course. In addition, we will cover:
- Legislation
- Tightness Testing
- Pipework requirements
Week 2 – As you progress through the weeks, the gas course will develop and you will receive training in:
- Pipe sizing
- Gas rates / Heat inputs
- Flueing
During week 2 you will undertake written exams and practical assessments.
Week 3 – You will be trained on:
- Appliance installation and servicing
- Ventilation
- Unsafe situations
Again, there will be written exams and practical assessments. Upon successful completion of this week, you will be provided with a Bpec Foundation Portfolio and guidance for completion.
Stage 4 – Work Placement (Portfolio Completion) – Work-based Competence and Gas Portfolios
Following completion of this 5 week gas programme, you will be deemed competent to undertake supervised gas work and so the next step towards Gas Safe registration will be to demonstrate your competence in the workplace and you do this by working alongside a Gas Safe Registered Engineer who acts as your on-site recorder/verifier, helping you to build a portfolio of evidence and prove your competence and safety working with Gas.
Able Skills will place you with a Gas Safe registered Engineer employed by Boiler Medic and 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). You will receive guidance throughout on how the portfolio evidence should be recorded.
Boiler Medic Engineers understand what is required for the portfolio and will ensure the completed portfolio meets the required standards. The range of work will, without doubt, meet the requirements of the portfolio but with additional experiences being made available to you:
Repair boilers and fault finding – compliments the Able skills Boiler Fault Finding course and adds to your understanding and knowledge of boilers.
Plumbing and heating work – you will undertake all plumbing and heating work ranging from blocked drains, toilet repairs, fitting new taps and showers – all the way to installing and replacing a complete heating system.
Many properties visited have old appliances which are not available to buy any more, also pipework runs differently in every single house so experience in different houses will enable you to identify heating circuits, how and where to drain and fill them up from and things to watch out for if they are being upgraded or replaced.
Advantages of working on site with an experienced gas engineer are that you will come across a variety of different scenarios which are very difficult to replicate in a college environment, also issues will arise which will prepare you for the outside world once you go out on the road as a gas engineer. Dangerous situations will be found, leaks will happen, and you will be able to remember what you did at that time to resolve them or if they could be resolved.
The basic amount of work required to complete the portfolio is only enough to complete the course and will not in many instances enable you to be suitably experienced enough to seek employment without gaining further experience. Therefore, Boiler Medic have devised this placement to provide you with additional experience so that following your ACS, your skills and knowledge will enable you to confidently seek work within the gas industry.
Other companies seek or guarantee a work placement but once the student leaves the centre they are not spoken to again until they return to undertake ACS. With Able Skills, the Engineers and staff at Boiler Medic will remain in regular contact and ensure that they keep you up to date and complete your portfolio in good time, ensuring you have a wealth of experience and knowledge when you return to take your exams. The owner of Boiler Medic completed the ACS program through Able Skills 9 years ago and has been running this business successfully since then. He has now decided to help new entrants trained by Able Skills as he believes that this is the most comprehensive gas training course on the market today. Not only will Boiler Medic ensure you have the most comprehensive portfolio placement available in the UK, they could also offer you the opportunity of a job and will definitely provide you with a work reference should you require it which will demonstrate experience to any new employers.
Stage 5 – Boiler Fault Finding / Wiring and Controls Course
Having provided portfolio placements for quite some time now, it has become very apparent that despite comprehensive training and a work placement, candidates knowledge of boiler service, repair and maintenance is quite minimal. To combat this, we are introducing this additional week of training to cover:
Boiler Fault Finding:
- Multimeter training
- Electrical Safety tests
- Testing pumps
- Testing switches
- Testing fans
- Fan switches
- Temperature sensors and stats
- Diverter Valves
- Domestic Heat Exchangers
- Expansion Vessels
Wiring & Controls:
- 3 Port 2 Port rigs
- Frost Protection
- S.I. Programmers
- Zone Valves
- Sequence of Wiring
- Fault Finding
This course can be completed at any time during or after the portfolio placement.
Stage 6 – ACS (Approved Certification Scheme) – Core Domestic Gas Safety including Appliances
CCN1 will need to be completed before you are eligible for Gas Safe registration and this is a requirement for all operatives involved in the installation, maintenance and servicing of domestic gas appliances and pipe-work installations.
The purpose of this Training/Assessment is to provide operatives with the knowledge and skills relating to safety regulations, procedures and British Standards, which must be applied when working on Gas Installations.
Initial assessment for CCN1 will require 5 days and will cover:
- Gas Safety Regulations, British Standards and Manufacturers’ Instructions
- Emergency Procedures, Labels and Warning Notices
- Unsafe Situations, and Related Documentation
- Combustion, Gas Rates, Burner/Installation Pressures
- Testing for Tightness, Purging and Relighting Appliances
- Pipework and Fittings
- Operation of Appliance Gas Safety Devices and Controls
- Ventilation
- Flueing Standards, Installation and Testing
CCN1 is a prerequisite for the various appliances available:
- CENWAT1: Central Heating Boilers & Water Heaters
- MET1: Meters
- CKR1: Domestic Cookers
- HTR1: Gas Fires & Wall Heaters
- CPA1: Combustion Performance Analysis
- DAH1: Warm Air Heating Appliances
The Appliances to be covered on assessment will be determined by the evidence you have gained during your work placement and portfolio building.
*If candidates fail to achieve the required level of competency in either the practical or theory assessment, it may be necessary for them to re-sit the sections which they have failed. If this situation arises an additional cost may be incurred.
How You’ll Learn
Stage 1 – Pipe-work Skills: Copper Pipe And Low Carbon Steel
This 5 day (or 2 weekends) course will provide you with the pipe skills required to undertake gas work to an acceptable and safe standard. During this course, we will teach you how to solder copper pipe and how to deal with low carbon steel. You will undertake assessments throughout the week so that we are satisfied that you have fully grasped these skills which will ensure safety when eventually, you are dealing with gas-related situations and appliances.
Stage 2–Heating controls, Airing Cupboards and Radiators
This 5 day (or 2 weekends) course will provide additional skills which will see you better placed and ready for your portfolio placement. This training will simulate real working environments and give you the opportunity to put the skills from week 1 into practice before you start work in peoples homes.
Stage 3 – Domestic Gas Safety Training – Bpec Foundation Certificate
For new entrants to the gas industry, Able Skills provides a 3 week (or weekends) comprehensive managed learning programme which covers all aspects of domestic gas work and gas safety which will prepare you for working on various gas appliances. This new entrant’s gas training course is a real mix of workshop and classroom study to ensure that all aspects of domestic gas and related appliances are covered. Progress is monitored with regular practical and written assessments and all evidence is recorded and retained for any Governing body to view at any time; these strict control methods safeguard all candidates and assessors and ensure that accurate, quality Gas training is delivered.
Stage 4 – Work Placement (Portfolio Completion)
Part of the process to become Gas Safe registered is to prove competence working on various aspects of gas. This will need to be undertaken under the supervision of a Gas Safe registered Engineer whereby a portfolio is completed detailing the gas work that has been done, supported by photographic evidence and signed by your Gas Safe registered Engineer. Able Skills are able to arrange this place for you with an established company, Boiler Medic, taking the hassle out of you searching for a suitable Gas Safe Engineer.
Stage 5–Boiler Fault Finding and Controls Wiring Course
This course is full of practical activities and will provide you with access to a range of boilers, old and new; in an attempt to provide you with as much knowledge as possible. This course will give you a great insight into the workings of different boilers so that you are able to confidently repair and service boilers once you are working as a Gas Engineer. This will also benefit you whilst you are working on your portfolio with Boiler Medic as they attend boiler breakdowns on a daily basis.
Stage 6 – ACS (Approved Certification Scheme)
During this final hurdle, you will undertake an assessment to achieve CCN1 (Core Gas Safety) and then any appliances which you are eligible to undertake (this is determined by the evidence in your work based portfolio). Able Skills is approved by BPEC for the purposes of Gas Assessment and successful candidates will receive certification for their CCN1 and Appliances from Bpec.
Courses Open To You After
Able Skills is accredited for Commercial Gas so later on, you may wish to undertake our 3-week Changeover programme giving you access to other areas of gas work. Alternatively, you may frequently find yourself in a position where customers require plumbing work to be done so you could consider achieving a level 2 Plumbing qualification.
Additional Info
Able Skills is very proud of the training we provide for potential gas course candidates and we are very conscious that getting it wrong can be fatal. This particular programme of learning has been devised to ensure that from the start, individuals are given the opportunity to work towards becoming competent and safe Gas Engineers; all of the Gas training we provide is arranged to identify an individual’s suitability for the Gas industry and to assist them in achieving the required standards to work within the Gas industry.
Our qualified team of Gas Trainers and Assessors will provide guidance, support and assistance in a realistic environment to build confidence and competence so that you are ready to undertake your work placement.
The portfolio placement we are offering is completely bespoke. Naturally, it will meet the portfolio requirements but unlike any other placement available, it will give you so much more to ensure, without a doubt, you are industry ready, competent and confident.
Training to achieve this Bpec Foundation Certificate (Domestic Gas Safety) is a requirement to ensure knowledge of changes to legislation, British Standards and industry best practice. If you come under the category of New Entrant, this is the correct and recognised route to take to get you started.
Gas Safe Register replaced CORGI gas registration in Great Britain on 1 April 2009. It is now the official industry stamp for gas safety.
If you remain unsure of your suitability for the Gas industry or you would like to speak to someone on a more personal level, please feel free to get in touch for some expert advice or if you would like to view the facilities at Able Skills, please feel free to visit us at any time. We are open 7 days every week and encourage visitors to the centre. You will not need an appointment, just turn up (08.30 – 16.30) and we will show you around.
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