What is a gas engineer?
A gas engineer is responsible for installing, maintaining and repairing gas appliances and systems. This can include boilers, heaters and cookers. They ensure that gas systems work safely and efficiently.
Why become a gas engineer?
Here are some of the benefits of becoming a gas engineer:
- High wages - gas engineers can earn upwards of £40,000 a year with experience.
- Job security - gas systems require ongoing maintenance, so there will always be demand for gas engineers.
- Career progression - there are opportunities to progress into specialist areas like renewable energy or industrial systems.
- Flexibility - many gas engineers are self-employed, giving you the freedom to choose when you work and how much you charge.
Becoming a gas engineer is not only about acquiring technical skills; it’s about developing the ability to ensure the safety and well-being of others. The work is challenging but incredibly rewarding.
What does a gas engineer do?
Gas engineers have a range of responsibilities. Your day-to-day role could include:
- Installing gas appliances like boilers, heaters and cookers
- Conducting maintenance and safety checks
- Diagnosing and repairing faults in gas systems
- Ensuring compliance with gas safety regulations
- Providing advice to customers on energy efficiency and system improvements
What skills do I need
You'll need a range of technical skills to become a gas engineer, including:
- Understanding of gas systems
- Technical and mechanical skills
- Health and safety knowledge
- Strong problem-solving abilities
- Good communication skills to interact with customers
How to become a gas engineer
1. Get the basics
You'll need GCSEs in Maths and English to get onto the relevant course or apprenticeship at college.
2. Gain relevant qualifications
You will need to complete a Level 2 or Level 3 apprenticeship in plumbing and heating. You'll learn how to install and test plumbing and domestic heating systems. You'll also learn about rainwater systems, electrical controls, and health and safety. This will take around two or four years.
Your apprenticeship will not cover gas heating. You will need to complete further training to become a gas engineer. This is because it is more specialised.
3. Pass the Gas Safe registration
You will need to register as Gas Safe to work on gas systems. You can do this by completing the Gas Safe Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS). You can choose to specialise in a certain area, such as domestic installations, non-domestic installations and liquid petroleum gas installations.
4. Start your career
Once you have all the relevant qualifications, you can start your career as a gas engineer. You could choose to work for a larger company to gain experience and earn a regular wage. Alternatively, you could choose to be self-employed. This offers greater flexibility, but you are responsible for finding your own work.
Further study
If you would like to advance further in your career, you should consider completing a degree. Our energy and environment courses can help you understand the role gas plays in energy production. It can also help you to look at gas from a sustainability perspective and consider where improvements can be made.
On our Oil and Gas Engineering MSc you'll learn how to engineer equipment for the oil and gas industry. You'll learn about the geology around oil and gas, as well as health and safety concerns. You will also develop your engineering design skills. This will allow you to create and pitch your own engineering solutions. This could lead to a fruitful career engineering equipment for gas rigs.
Where next
We hope this guide has helped you understand how to become a gas engineer. It is a skilled career, with high earning potential and job security.
Ready to take the first step? Explore our engineering courses to see how we can help you achieve your goals.
