electrician vs gas engineering

[aurora123]

Hi

I'm confused on whether to do a gas course and become a gas engineer or do some electrical course. I'm 18 and didn't apply for university; and I did a levels in bio, chem and psychology and did good on them. But someone introduced to the gas trade and got quite interested. I don't mind do either but i need help deciding which would be most best in terms quickly settling in to the trade and which trade is less dying

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[gmartine]

less dying? less risk of dying or less trying?

Interesting question...if you're concerned about killing yourself you probably have a better chance electrocuting yourself than gassing yourself or blowing yourself up. Doing gas work despite the Hollywood perception its quite difficult to fill a place with gas and then have it light accidentally and unnoticed. A gas main ruptured in my road and the whole street was evacuated, well I stayed and yeah the workmen were pretty casual about it as thousands of litres of gas p****ed out. They might as well have been smoking tabs they were so horizontal, anyway you take my point if the gas isn't confined and there's no spark source there isn't a great deal of danger.

Gaswork is harder on the body. We are dealing with heat, chemicals, heavy boilers and lots of kit, a leccy just needs a screwdriver and a pair of snips,

 

[Ben-gee]

I think he meant which market has longevity as a viable trade.

 

[aurora123]

I think he meant which market has longevity as a viable trade.

He knew what I meant but is just Soding about

 

[aurora123]

I need a answer asap plz

 

[Chuck]

If you are reasonably dexterous, like building stuff and have good spatial awareness I'd say put plumbing / gas as first choice. If you enjoy diagrams, making measurements and trying to deduce logically what they are telling you I'd put electrical work as 1st choice.

Both trades are hard work but they can be interesting. If you stay in the domestic area you should probably aim to become self-employed or a co-owner once you have a decade or so of experience so try to pick up some business skills as you go. You need to pay more attention to health and safety than my generation did or you'll only have about 25 years before something, often bad knees, stops you in your tracks.

 

[aurora123]

If you are reasonably dexterous, like building stuff and have good spatial awareness I'd say put plumbing / gas as first choice. If you enjoy diagrams, making measurements and trying to deduce logically what they are telling you I'd put electrical work as 1st choice.

Both trades are hard work but they can be interesting. If you stay in the domestic area you should probably aim to become self-employed or a co-owner once you have a decade or so of experience so try to pick up some business skills as you go. You need to pay more attention to health and safety than my generation did or you'll only have about 25 years before something, often bad knees, stops you in your tracks.

What would you say is best overall? I know every course suits everyone different. But for
The future what will be more better etc

 

[gmartine]

He knew what I meant but is just Soding about

I really wasn't or I wouldn't have bothered with the lengthy answer. Anyhow try and do both, pretty handy having both trades as they will always be needed although the gas side of things is due for a change in terms how folks will heat their homes. Electrical theory will be the same, you want a definitive answer to decide your future which isn't reasonable. Do your research and go to the Electrical forum, talk to the course tutors and see what they say to get a balanced idea.

 

[king of pipes]

Wind power will be the biggest producer of power hear in the UK in the near future by 2025 no gas will be connected to new build properties?, air source will be the go to form of heat fossil fuels will still play a major part in some form for the next 20 years in my opinion, your obviously a bright pupil if you could find a renewable energy position I would probably say go down that route in some way either domestically or commercially with the many power companies now investing in wind technology . Regards Kop

 

[Roy_66]

Wind power will be the biggest producer of power hear in the UK in the near future by 2025 no gas will be connected to new build properties?, air source will be the go to form of heat fossil fuels will still play a major part in some form for the next 20 years in my opinion, your obviously a bright pupil if you could find a renewable energy position I would probably say go down that route in some way either domestically or commercially with the many power companies now investing in wind technology . Regards Kop

Hi KOP,

Do you think the hydrogen down the gas mains is a pipe dream ? (I'm in two minds). Roger B. talks about existence of Pilot schemes.

Cheers,

Roy

 

[Roy_66]

Dear Aurora,

I'm going to ask you a curve ball question first. I note no maths A level (and beyond)

a) Is that something you might like to do (you are still plenty young enough)
b) are you in a position financially to do that?

Remember you can learn yourself now from the internet, if the teaching you are subject to is no good.

Personally I'd go for the gas, it just seems more satisfying work to me (do the electrics as well as a second string, you would be very valuable then)

Now are you in good physical shape and have ability to stay that way? (Professional Trades are tough. At 18 we all think we are indestructible. . . .)

P.S. Is molecular biology not of interest ? I think there will be amazing opportunities there as we enter the age of fully scientific medicine (Please put the COVID hoo ha to one side if thinking about that)

P.P.S. I'll have to think about the Psychology . . .

Cheers,

Roy (I avoided Chemistry after A level because at 18 I thought it was deadly. Its what keeps us alive . . . . )

 

[aurora123]

Dear Aurora,

I'm going to ask you a curve ball question first. I note no maths A level (and beyond)

a) Is that something you might like to do (you are still plenty young enough)
b) are you in a position financially to do that?

Remember you can learn yourself now from the internet, if the teaching you are subject to is no good.

Personally I'd go for the gas, it just seems more satisfying work to me (do the electrics as well as a second string, you would be very valuable then)

Now are you in good physical shape and have ability to stay that way? (Professional Trades are tough. At 18 we all think we are indestructible. . . .)

P.S. Is molecular biology not of interest ? I think there will be amazing opportunities there as we enter the age of fully scientific medicine (Please put the COVID hoo ha to one side if thinking about that)

P.P.S. I'll have to think about the Psychology . . .

Cheers,

Roy (I avoided Chemistry after A level because at 18 I thought it was deadly. Its what keeps us alive . . . . )

I got a levels of AA in bio and chemistry, initially wanted to do chemical engineering but couldn’t move out. Because of lockdown I lost complete interest and just got interested into the trade.i heard a lot of people are doing gas and you must do plumbing before gas so I’m really really confused for which one to go for. TBH I’m more interested in the theory part.

 

[king of pipes]

Hi KOP,

Do you think the hydrogen down the gas mains is a pipe dream ? (I'm in two minds). Roger B. talks about existence of Pilot schemes.

Cheers,

Roy

Its happening right now Roy there's a hydrogen blending trial being carried out in Winlaton Gateshead early 2021 so it's coming, more training we will have to do and more money to pay out for the qualification.Regards Kop

 

[Ric2013]

He knew what I meant but is just Soding about

Well I didn't know what you meant either, to be fair.

Have you an opportunity to get some site experience? If you don't have contacts already, perhaps you could do as I did and get a Construction Site Operative card or the new equivalent? Apparently the new Labourer's card needs a Level 1 qualification which you should find relatively easy (but do check the exact requirements and remember there are sometimes ways around obstacles... once you know what the obstacles are!) and then you can get some temp work with Hays Construction or whoever is in your area. It might give you a chance to see what the trades are actually like, at least to some degree (site work, domestic, and commercial will, of course have their individualities). That's if work is available at present.

Given the Covid situation, if you want to study, now might be a good time as one might hope for some level of economic uplift when this hopefully clears up, though I realise many courses follow the academic year.

I do feel it is a major failing of the education system that academically gifted people are forced out of school at 18 and feel a need to decide on an HE path at that age, when they often haven't a clue what they want to do in life, career-wise. To be honest, a year's work experience is no bad thing and you may decide on a degree-level course in construction management after that. Or you may never want to see another building site.

 

[Brambles]

I think you need to be honest with yourself - are you looking for job satisfaction or which is the most lucrative strand?

The are three / four sectors : Electrical - Renewables ( air / ground and water source) - gas with plumbing and plumbing.

For renewables you will need to be a decent plumber / pipe fitter - generally larger diameter pipes and properly designed heating systems ( or they don’t work). The electrical element is also generally in the area of 30 to 40 amp connections - to trade alone or as a Company in domestic renewables you will need MCS accreditation. High average contract values.

Gas is an excellent qualification - a good stepping stone to move into renewables or other sectors. In my experience you need a large Customer base to keep the volume of work coming through. The future impact of no gas in new builds will be felt - manufactures will turn away from launching new products into the market. Hydrogen? Who knows? Coal ( or Towns) gas was predominantly hydrogen albeit with embedded CO2 and CO - so the technology to convert is there - but safety standards are higher now.

Electrical - to me there seems to be a high volume of work - most properties in the Uk are limited by their incoming electrical supply - you can charge an electric car or have a heat pump - but rarely both on a single phase supply.

Be careful of trying to be a Jack of all Trades - the ongoing accreditation costs Gas Safe, Oftec, MCS, et al are not insignificant and involve ongoing training