the level of knowledge of qualified gas safe engineers

[Guest123]

It's easy for anyone to become GSR now. A week long course in a training centre and then get someone you know in the industry to sign you off saying you've done X amount of gas jobs for GSR and off you go.

There are guys out there who are doing gas work and have never touched a bit of plumbing before.

 

[Dannypipe]

True Sys3, and also a travesty. Shouldn't be allowed.

Like Milsy, I'm probably one of the last to be taught the old way. My old mans a plumber, my brothers a plumber and I have a go at it myself. I learned from my Dad. Who's still working and bless him, does like to do things 'Old Skool'. But to his credit when I say,

'Dad, we don't do that anymore, or we do it this way'. I hardly ever get grief, he moves with the times. Just slower than me (who's 33 not late 50's).

He knows his onions, and still has a lot of knowledge to share with me. I'll never get too big for my boots, even if I am more qualified. Experience is the main quality of a good tradesmen.

Trouble is as my Da says',

"As soon as I got the hang of this game, my eye sight went".

 

[REDSAW]

i know nothing, apparently i do know how to be safe when handling gas appliances and supplies.

is that what i am supposed to be able do as i am my own boss and have no critisizers?

being gas safe does not restrict you in having a go at something new like breakdowns instead of just installing.

not read the whole thread

 

[Mike Jackson]

I think Mike that the poor understanding comes from insufficient contact with experienced engineers and maybe a lack of basic engineering skills.

When I was eight I helped my dad repair cars and rewire houses, by ten I was into electronics and tuning & racing motor scooters, on the horizon was computing, hexadecimals, machine code and competition for messers Gates and Jobs.
The world was my lobster.
Sadly at about 16 I discovered that girls werent such nuisance.
By 20 I realised (too late) that I should have been celibate.

I was working with my Father at weekends and in the school holidays from the age of 10. I did A levels and went to university to study maths. I'd wanted to do computer science but the careers advisor at my school talkedme out of it because apparently there would be loads of people leaving university with a computer science degree and I wouldn't be able to get a job. That was good careers advice for someone that would have left university in 1984.

I couldn't cope with the maths degree and dropped out and started working with my father as a stop gap. That stop gap lasted until 6 years ago.

 

[diamondgas]

The main problem with that statement is the word college. They will churn out the kind of people who can talk the talk and not walk the walk.

When I did my apprenticeship I have NO idea how I qualified as I am not the type of person to learn in a classroom( I know what i'm meant to write but I can't put it into words, Otherwise I would have been a lawyer or something). I am the kind of person who did my apprenticeship and learnt from the miserable old sod who taught me doing things making mistakes and having him moan at me for days. Nowadays everything is done on grades (I had 3 D's 2 E's 2 F's) But give me a boiler/ bit of pipe I can work it all out.

In this game being the most intelligent person does not help being willing to learn and being able to work with your hands is what you need.

Another thing is alot of the younger generation (I am only 30 by the way) have no respect for people. If I worked for my self I would be more inclined to employ somebody who has put themselves through college at night than take on a 16 year old (Shows they want to learn)

Wise words Millsy

Before I started on my own, 3yrs ago, I was working for the local authority. We had a spate of 'end of training' guys who need to complete their portfolio to tick the boxes! I couldn't believe the limited understanding these people had. it reminded me of my first day as an apprentice with 3 years training ahead of me!!! None had ever seen a boiler before!

A couple of good ones I helped train were ex army. They at least had the discipline and understanding of the methodical approach to stripping down and putting back together, checks to do etc! Some I had work with me were from a particular training academy specific to gas training here in the North East!! I couldn't believe their limited knowledge and ability! I'm assuming they must have been close to passing out as they were after portfolio work and experience, they didn't know how to calculate ventilation & gas rate appliances!!! Every one who came with me hadn't a clue!! That scared me! It seemed like practical work experience was the last thing they needed, whereas when I started it was on going from day one mixing theory with practice!!

Did I experience an exception I wonder?

 

[mfgs]

There does seem to be some very silly safety related questions asked on here, some which do shock me and make me think "how is this guy qualified". I am by no means the best engineer around, I am still young and learning the trade myself. I like to think I work safely, but I do struggle with breakdowns sometimes purely because I have never had anyone teach me. I come on here to help with that and hopefully gain some advice and knowledge.

 

[peteheat]

Maybe some posters mean to leave out some of the basic safety in their posts because they think they are communicating with trained gas installers?

As for training we only qualify from the college of life the day we die, everything up to that point is or should be a learning experience.

I have the paper work that makes me the Irish equal of GSR qualified (R.G.I.) however I refuse to join rgi because I don't see any point in competing with the gents who are providing the 9 minute gas boiler service.

 

[GQuigley67]

i dont claim to know everything, i get it wrong aswell but sometimes i know other stuff that other more experienced guys i work with dont know(thanks to this forum most times)then they argue the fact that they are right and i'm wrong lol, that's what i like about this forum if you are wrong someone corrects you

 

[CES]

One of my pet hates is so called qualified engineers asking basic questions on here that my 16 year old could answer within 2 mins using his phone and google. From what I've read a lot of it comes down to laziness, some may be newly qualified and are looking for reassurance, fair enough but some of them expect to be given the answer on a plate. Its not a good indictment of the trade when some members cant be arsed to look up a subject they are supposed to be a professional in.

Fault finding and genuine problems we all have came up against a brick wall at times, but basic things shouldnt really have to be asked, particularly when you (presumably) will have a copy of the book you used when you sat your ACS.

 

[stevetheplumber]

True Sys3, and also a travesty. Shouldn't be allowed.


Trouble is as my Da says',

"As soon as I got the hang of this game, my eye sight went".

the truest thing ive ever heard was joni mitchels line
"dont it always seem to go that you dont know what youve got till its gone"

 

[tamz]

the truest thing ive ever heard was joni mitchels line
"dont it always seem to go that you dont know what youve got till its gone"

I just had to sing that line steve :lol: