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After 9 years of service I’ve decided to leave the Army. I’m currently a Weapon Systems Engineer and looking for a completed change.

So I’m interested in becoming a Gas Engineer. The choice of “Fast Track” courses is overwhelming, with all sorts of different qualifications and work placements ect promised.

I decided to come here to get some sort of incite of the trade from the Horses mouth.

So my questions -

Is this the correct career to pursue? I know the whole “Gas Engineer shortage” is hyped up.

Will anyone employ me? No experience in Gas apart from a hastily delivered “Fast track” course.

What qualifications should I be aiming to gain? One provider supplies “Level 3 Diploma in Gas Utilisation” is that worth anything in the industry?

Thanks for taking time to read my post, any advice is appreciated.
 
its a catch 22 without experience hard to get a job but then its hard to get experience. you will find most of the guys on here do not rate the fast track course. does your job in the army not point you to computer systems analysis type work ? dont get me wrong its a great job but i did it from leaving school through an apprenticeship with BG and never out of work. i am sur emost of the guys on here went down a similar route. thats why they wont recommend a fast track course. try to see if you can get a job with a company and train with them it will be longer and the money will be poor until your are qualified.
 
its a catch 22 without experience hard to get a job but then its hard to get experience. you will find most of the guys on here do not rate the fast track course. does your job in the army not point you to computer systems analysis type work ? dont get me wrong its a great job but i did it from leaving school through an apprenticeship with BG and never out of work. i am sur emost of the guys on here went down a similar route. thats why they wont recommend a fast track course. try to see if you can get a job with a company and train with them it will be longer and the money will be poor until your are qualified.

Thanks for the reply.

Current job is purely mechanical based, problem is it’s so niche. Not much in terms of transferable skills.

I fully understand how “Fast Track” is viewed, I hold the same view. Unfortunately I have a mortgage to pay and a wife and kids to support, so this is the only option into the trade.

Is making a career via “Fast Track” unheard of?
 
no, but i dont have any evidence i am sure there are some on here who have dont it this way who may be able to inform you better
 
Noni
Thanks for the reply.

Current job is purely mechanical based, problem is it’s so niche. Not much in terms of transferable skills.

I fully understand how “Fast Track” is viewed, I hold the same view. Unfortunately I have a mortgage to pay and a wife and kids to support, so this is the only option into the trade.

Is making a career via “Fast Track” unheard of?
No. It is not mate. As stated above. Most on here would recommend being an apprentice or completing a college course. I’m ex services myself. What battalion/Rank are you.
 
Hi, use the little search box (top R/H corner), use words such as training, fast track, train4skills, gas training, thinking this will give you some idea.
Like the fact that you don`t believe the BS, sorry hype :) regarding how easy it is to earn megabucks after 6 weeks.
(Non gsr)
 
Are you an armourer? I did it as my resettlement in the Midlands I carried all my leave over for 2 years (I had an awesome OC and CO,as you are not normally allowed to do this) and did a fast track course which was slightly longer than the ones available today. They let me leave early to start my course so rather than getting paid only when I was able to claim resettlement I got payed a few months before also. Where
 
Are you an armourer? I did it as my resettlement in the Midlands I carried all my leave over for 2 years (I had an awesome OC and CO,as you are not normally allowed to do this) and did a fast track course which was slightly longer than the ones available today. They let me leave early to start my course so rather than getting paid only when I was able to claim resettlement I got payed a few months before also. Where

Yes I’m an Armourer, the Army changed the trade name to look more appealing to potential recruits.

I’m carrying 1 years leave over, with resettlement leave allowance and next years allowance added together gives me about 4 months paid leave.

There’s not a huge choice of training suppliers that are eligible for ELC, I was really interested in Kier, but no funding available from the MOD.

How did you transition from the Fast Track course into a career?
 
Hi, use the little search box (top R/H corner), use words such as training, fast track, train4skills, gas training, thinking this will give you some idea.
Like the fact that you don`t believe the BS, sorry hype :) regarding how easy it is to earn megabucks after 6 weeks.
(Non gsr)
Thanks for the reply, I’ll have a look :)
 
Yes I’m an Armourer, the Army changed the trade name to look more appealing to potential recruits.

I’m carrying 1 years leave over, with resettlement leave allowance and next years allowance added together gives me about 4 months paid leave.

There’s not a huge choice of training suppliers that are eligible for ELC, I was really interested in Kier, but no funding available from the MOD.

How did you transition from the Fast Track course into a career?
Are you fit and active? (No offence intended) if not dependant on what elements of the job you do can be quite tiring/demanding.

I did the same with my leave, glad you are aloud to do this more freely now. (It was an absolute pain in the A**E when I was in)

What training centres are available to the MOD now. The bloke I used did time for stealing extra money from the MOD.

From fast track to work is HARD if I am completely honest. You have to put more time, effort & listening in then the lads from apprenticeships and college. As your knowledge and skill set will be at minimum. Even to just do servicing. You have to be willing to work twice as hard. However I am one of the ones that have made it work (in my opinion) I was on the books with a company from when I left the ARMY until the company was taking over by a national consortium which then went bump. I now work for myself. Haven’t looked back since. But it is still hard work and I still learn something new almost every day.

Where are you looking at doing your course? (Location wise)
 
Are you fit and active? (No offence intended) if not dependant on what elements of the job you do can be quite tiring/demanding.

I did the same with my leave, glad you are aloud to do this more freely now. (It was an absolute pain in the A**E when I was in)

What training centres are available to the MOD now. The bloke I used did time for stealing extra money from the MOD.

From fast track to work is HARD if I am completely honest. You have to put more time, effort & listening in then the lads from apprenticeships and college. As your knowledge and skill set will be at minimum. Even to just do servicing. You have to be willing to work twice as hard. However I am one of the ones that have made it work (in my opinion) I was on the books with a company from when I left the ARMY until the company was taking over by a national consortium which then went bump. I now work for myself. Haven’t looked back since. But it is still hard work and I still learn something new almost every day.

Where are you looking at doing your course? (Location wise)

Are you assuming that like most Armourers I’m a massive BIFF? ;) I’m a fit lad, always on PT. Pretty confident I’ll be able to handle the physical aspect.

I’m willing to put the effort in. I work well in both a classroom and hands on setting. You managed to get work before taking the course? This would be extremerly ideal.

I’ll be looking to work in Southampton, but for the course I’m happy with living away for the duration, so anywhere.

My main concern is completing the course, then being unable to get any sort of work. The longer I’m unable to get work/experience the harder it will be to get work/experience. It would then be a waste a lot of time, and money.
 
No mate. I had paid leave from the MOD for 3/4 months then had unpaid work for a little while. Then got a job at a medium 15 van family run business. You have to sell yourself mate. I.e hard working, good time keeping, logical, team player and self motivated. Tidy, clean, good problem solver, works well under pressure. I would start contacting companies now. Enquire as to what they are looking for. Explain your situation. Gone are the days when we had to fight as ex servicemen to get a job, companies are more open and welcoming to it now.

I will have an ask around here to see if anyone is doing resettlement training.

Are you attached to a regiment?
 
After 9 years of service I’ve decided to leave the Army. I’m currently a Weapon Systems Engineer and looking for a completed change.

So I’m interested in becoming a Gas Engineer. The choice of “Fast Track” courses is overwhelming, with all sorts of different qualifications and work placements ect promised.

I decided to come here to get some sort of incite of the trade from the Horses mouth.

So my questions -

Is this the correct career to pursue? I know the whole “Gas Engineer shortage” is hyped up.

Will anyone employ me? No experience in Gas apart from a hastily delivered “Fast track” course.

What qualifications should I be aiming to gain? One provider supplies “Level 3 Diploma in Gas Utilisation” is that worth anything in the industry?

Thanks for taking time to read my post, any advice is appreciated.
I think the transition from military to gas engineer is a good one. My drinking crew includes two ex deep sea saturation divers who moved to gas eng. the safety culture and attention to detail is easily transferable and they have stuck it for 20 years in jimbo’s case. The ended up with British Gas got all the training etc and job with pension at 40 ...it’s horses for courses ..go for it the school room stuff is peanuts to someone like yourself and working culture will be 2nd nature to you ...good luck and let me know how you fair please
If your in north west I might know a man that can ...help you
He got 50 vans on road doing 300 hard interventions per day and hungry for good men Rob Foster aka centralheatking
 
No mate. I had paid leave from the MOD for 3/4 months then had unpaid work for a little while. Then got a job at a medium 15 van family run business. You have to sell yourself mate. I.e hard working, good time keeping, logical, team player and self motivated. Tidy, clean, good problem solver, works well under pressure. I would start contacting companies now. Enquire as to what they are looking for. Explain your situation. Gone are the days when we had to fight as ex servicemen to get a job, companies are more open and welcoming to it now.

I will have an ask around here to see if anyone is doing resettlement training.

Are you attached to a regiment?

Very late reply (Sorry) I'm attached to a regiment in Marchwood, previously attached to an Infantry Regiment in Germany. I'll look at contacting local businesses now.

As an employer what qualifications/courses would you consider essential/ideal?
 
I think the transition from military to gas engineer is a good one. My drinking crew includes two ex deep sea saturation divers who moved to gas eng. the safety culture and attention to detail is easily transferable and they have stuck it for 20 years in jimbo’s case. The ended up with British Gas got all the training etc and job with pension at 40 ...it’s horses for courses ..go for it the school room stuff is peanuts to someone like yourself and working culture will be 2nd nature to you ...good luck and let me know how you fair please
If your in north west I might know a man that can ...help you
He got 50 vans on road doing 300 hard interventions per day and hungry for good men Rob Foster aka centralheatking

Thanks :) I'm certain I'm well suited for the job, just need to get my foot in the door, so to speak! Unfortunately, I'm on the South coast, but if I venture to the NW I'll let you know :)
 
Hi PJ. Welcome.
May I ask a question? Why gas?
Because there are not that many options on the military resettlement mate. Or there wasn’t when I left. I know this is not about me but for me it was the fact t wasstill a very manual job.
 
Very late reply (Sorry) I'm attached to a regiment in Marchwood, previously attached to an Infantry Regiment in Germany. I'll look at contacting local businesses now.

As an employer what qualifications/courses would you consider essential/ideal?
What qualifications do you have already?
 
Because there are not that many options on the military resettlement mate. Or there wasn’t when I left. I know this is not about me but for me it was the fact t wasstill a very manual job.

What I'm genuinely trying to ascertain H is the Why gas when there are so many other options to get into paid work which still require great skill...
 
Hi PJ. Welcome.
May I ask a question? Why gas?

Hi,

I'm steering towards gas because of similarities between my current job and Gas Engineering -

  • Both work under a strict set of governed guidelines and publications.
  • Both requires proficiencies in fault finding, fault diagnoses, problem-solving, methodical and logical approaches.
  • Both require, to some extent, engineering precision. Failure to do so could result in catastrophic failure and injury/death.
  • Both require quality assurance and work completed to a high standard.
It's something I'm interested in, with the end game being self-employed and starting a small business.
 
Okay thanks.

My problem, on your behalf, is thinking about how you get to the point of earning a reasonable living quickest knowing how you are just one of many looking to achieve the same.

My thought process is, as a competent engineer, could you not simply set yourself up as a 'wet plumber' in the short term in order to keep your family and then over time do your gas - if in deed that was where you decided you wanted to go?

Why? Well frankly, by doing gas all you will be able to do initially, without any form of reputation, is compete on price for jobs. Never a good basis for a business.

Wet plumbers however are just as skilled (I'd actually say more so than you'll be as a new gas engineer) but with a much much broader remit. The other issue, for me anyway, is that as a wet plumber you can create a USP for yourself as presentable, caring, punctual etc which you are not really going to be able to do as a new gas engineer - IMHO.

Personally, I've never had a desire to do gas. I saw it as far too competitive and I was unable to create my niche of working for mainly older people.

Of course this view is simply that, a view. However don't dismiss other opportunities out of hand. You are used to assessing situations so look at this alternative view in the cold hard light of needing to keep your family.

Happy to chat further offline if it would help.
 
Sounds like you can hold your own from your response above. That is what an employer will want to hear. What you can offer and how you can earn them more money. I think you will do fine. You have the right attitude. You sound determined and not shy of hard work. The lads on here can sound a little harsh but that is because the gas “engineers” that are coming through are just after fast money and think it is easy and also do not want to learn. You sound like it is definitely a long term project. It isn’t easy but it is possible.
 

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