A Career In Gas.

Basic Gas Utilisation (Domestic) Course (20 days)

As you may be aware changes were made in August 2003 to the entrance requirements for the ACS Scheme.Now, in order to qualify for entrance to the ACS assessments, if the candidate is not already Gas Safe or ACS registered, they need to either complete a gas NVQ qualification or provide evidence of an auditable extended period of gas training, and organisational support in the production of a portfolio of gas experience. The NIC Certificated Basic Gas Utilisation (Domestic) training course meets the requirements of Gas Safe’s entrance criteria.

Basic Gas Utilisation (Domestic) Course Candidate Profile and Progression

1. Candidates entering the training process are required to prove that they have access to appropriate ‘On the Job’ experience with Gas Safe registered engineers

2. Target candidates are expected to preferably have an engineering, plumbing, construction or similar background.

3. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate sufficient mathematical ability to be able to carry out the calculations relating to gas rates and ventilation.

4. Candidates are expected to have demonstrated competence in the ‘Off the Job’ theory and practical examinations undertaken at the Training Centre and to have collated sufficient suitable ‘On the Job’ evidence before being allowed to attempt any ACS Assessment.

5. The final decision of the suitability of a candidate lies with the Training Centre.

What does it entail?
The 20-day course covers the following areas:
• Unsafe situations
• Complete / incomplete combustion
• Carry out tightness test
• Safe removal of gas meters
• Purging
• Gas rating / working pressure / inlet working pressure / burner pressure
• Gas flue analyser
• Pipework (bending / soldering / theoretical pipe sizing)
• Running new installation pipework and testing
• Extending existing pipework
• Installing pipework under floors and ducts
• Installing Tracpipe
• Ventilation (room sealed / open flue / balanced flue / flueless)
• Flues / flue flow testing / spillage testing / flue inspection
• Central heating systems
• Installing fires
• Installing cookers
• Gas controls
• Gas regulations
• British Standards
• Talk from Corgi inspector
• Practical and theory phase tests

In addition to the 20 days ‘Off the Job’ training the candidate will need to produce a portfolio of evidence gathered ‘On the Job’ whilst supervised by a Gas Safe registered engineer. They will have our assistance with the production of this portfolio, but we are unable to arrange the ‘On the Job’ placements, the trainees themselves must arrange these. The Basic Gas Utilisation (Domestic) Course is delivered over 20 week days, this period may be shortened if some Accreditation Of Prior Learning (APL) can be shown, e.g. adequate pipe skills are demonstrated. However, any APL claimed will need to be confirmed during the course. You may wish to discuss this with us.

Portfolio of Evidence
The duration of the ‘On the Job’ experience and development of the portfolio will be determined by the type and frequency of gas work undertaken by the candidate. A person installing two heating systems a week would for instance take longer than someone attending to eight service/breakdowns a day. The candidate is also required to demonstrate work over the range of appliance types.

We will require evidence of the Gas Safe registration of the supervising engineer and we will also make on site visits during the ‘On the Job’ period. All tools and training materials are provided whilst with us, but trainees will need to arrange the use of suitable tools and equipment whilst carrying out their ‘On the Job’ experience.

We will expect candidates to produce their portfolio for initial verification within a six-month period and this is included within the cost of the course. We will allow two more verifications at a cost of £50 each to enable the candidate to proceed towards their assessments.

Once the 20 days training and the necessary ‘On the Job’ experience and the portfolio of evidence are successfully completed and approved by us, the trainee will be issued a completion certificate by NIC Certification Limited. Only on receipt of this completion certificate is the trainee eligible to go on to take the CCN1 (Core Gas Safety) Assessment under the ACS rules.

Following a successful Core (CCN1) Assessment the candidate may progress to take their chosen appliance assessments together with any necessary training. The portfolio of evidence once completed will remain in the possession of the Training Centre, as it is an auditable item and part of the ACS Scheme.

The total cost of the course includes examinations, course materials (including VR domestic natural gas handbook, VR self study book, portfolio and handouts), on site visits and final certificate. The course fees are required to be paid three weeks before course commencement date.

We trust that the information above and the enclosure answers any questions you may have, but should you need any further information or wish to book a place on the course please contact our office by telephone or by e-mail to training@gasflare.co.uk for next course dates and availability. We will then issue booking and application forms and further course details.

Note
You will have gathered from the information above that the process is primarily aimed at a person with preferably some plumbing, building or engineering background with dexterity skills and most importantly access to work with an existing Gas Safe registered engineer, who is willing to meet the witness requirements and complete the necessary objective On the Job reports.

We must point out that trainees taking this route into the gas industry are expected, by Gas Safe, to seek employment with an existing Gas Safe registered company. Gas Safe have made it clear that anyone considering a sole trader status will not necessarily be accepted for registration without adequate proof of experience in the gas industry.

If you require more details or information please ring the office on 0117 9084169 (or email training@gasflare.co.uk)