malc350
04-08-2009, 08:39 AM
Brilliant Gas Courses!
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Having just finished my CCN1 and 5 modules, i.e. becoming "gas qualified" I cannot thank the team at Able Skills enough for guiding me through this minefield.
A year and a half ago I took a City & Guilds 6129 (taught by Jim Singleton) and this enabled me to change my career path and work as a plumber.
However I had known all along that to really be able to offer a comprehensive range of heating services to people I really needed to become competent to work on gas appliances. Trouble is it is really confusing finding out what qualifications and abilities you need and there are so many training centres springing up all over the place it can be hard to know if you're going to the right place / getting the correct training or what.
Fortunately for me the choice was easy: because of my great experience and expert teaching received on the 6129 I obviously thought of Able Skills first. They are really no-nonsense and will tell you what you need.
I visited the Gas Centre and was shown around by Roy Johnson (who later turned out to be my assesor on the ACS!) and it was pretty apparent that the arrangement of work bays and classrooms would be perfect to gain the required initial knowledge of the trade.
Thanks to Angie I was booked on a course pretty quickly and then commenced training on the Pre-APL, followed by the APL course, taught to an impressively high standard by Ian Welthy, an experienced gas engineer himself, as is Roy. Then I went out into the world, worked with a gas company virtually full time 6 days a week for a few weeks to gain my portfolio, then arrived back at Able Skills for my ACS (CCN1 Core Gas Safety) and appliance exams which I have just got through (phew!)
The following may help prospective students out. This is what you need to gain the required knowledge to get started in the gas industry:
1) Pre-APL (Approved Prior Learning) course to get the important basics under your belt.
2) APL course to gain the required level of learning to enable you to "work supervised" on gas appliances.
3) A work based portfolio: You have 2 years to complete this but it took me much less time because I bit the bullet and worked virtually full time, 6 days a week, with a recognised gas company as well as another gas engineer. You need a broad range of experience here: I worked with 3 service engineers, 2 breakdown engineers and an installer on a real range of appliances. Plus don't think about just getting a "minimum amount of work for your portfolio". You really need to understand what you need to learn.
4) ACS (CCN1) the most serious exam you probably will ever take in your life!
5) Appliances (also called units or elements by some), i.e. CKR1 (cookers) HTR1 (space heaters), CEN1 (central heating), WAT1 (water heaters) and CPA1 (flue gas analyser - Able Skills are bang up to date with this and the industry is making this a mandatory requirement now).
Then you have the painfull wait for your card to arrive (which is where I am now) which will enable you to get work with a gas company to gain experience.
One thing I will say: take this seriously: you are taught well and a lot is expected of you because ultimately you are looking to being responsible for the safe operation of gas appliances in people's properties...
Thanks again to Angie, Roy, Ian and Jim for an expert level of training!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Having just finished my CCN1 and 5 modules, i.e. becoming "gas qualified" I cannot thank the team at Able Skills enough for guiding me through this minefield.
A year and a half ago I took a City & Guilds 6129 (taught by Jim Singleton) and this enabled me to change my career path and work as a plumber.
However I had known all along that to really be able to offer a comprehensive range of heating services to people I really needed to become competent to work on gas appliances. Trouble is it is really confusing finding out what qualifications and abilities you need and there are so many training centres springing up all over the place it can be hard to know if you're going to the right place / getting the correct training or what.
Fortunately for me the choice was easy: because of my great experience and expert teaching received on the 6129 I obviously thought of Able Skills first. They are really no-nonsense and will tell you what you need.
I visited the Gas Centre and was shown around by Roy Johnson (who later turned out to be my assesor on the ACS!) and it was pretty apparent that the arrangement of work bays and classrooms would be perfect to gain the required initial knowledge of the trade.
Thanks to Angie I was booked on a course pretty quickly and then commenced training on the Pre-APL, followed by the APL course, taught to an impressively high standard by Ian Welthy, an experienced gas engineer himself, as is Roy. Then I went out into the world, worked with a gas company virtually full time 6 days a week for a few weeks to gain my portfolio, then arrived back at Able Skills for my ACS (CCN1 Core Gas Safety) and appliance exams which I have just got through (phew!)
The following may help prospective students out. This is what you need to gain the required knowledge to get started in the gas industry:
1) Pre-APL (Approved Prior Learning) course to get the important basics under your belt.
2) APL course to gain the required level of learning to enable you to "work supervised" on gas appliances.
3) A work based portfolio: You have 2 years to complete this but it took me much less time because I bit the bullet and worked virtually full time, 6 days a week, with a recognised gas company as well as another gas engineer. You need a broad range of experience here: I worked with 3 service engineers, 2 breakdown engineers and an installer on a real range of appliances. Plus don't think about just getting a "minimum amount of work for your portfolio". You really need to understand what you need to learn.
4) ACS (CCN1) the most serious exam you probably will ever take in your life!
5) Appliances (also called units or elements by some), i.e. CKR1 (cookers) HTR1 (space heaters), CEN1 (central heating), WAT1 (water heaters) and CPA1 (flue gas analyser - Able Skills are bang up to date with this and the industry is making this a mandatory requirement now).
Then you have the painfull wait for your card to arrive (which is where I am now) which will enable you to get work with a gas company to gain experience.
One thing I will say: take this seriously: you are taught well and a lot is expected of you because ultimately you are looking to being responsible for the safe operation of gas appliances in people's properties...
Thanks again to Angie, Roy, Ian and Jim for an expert level of training!