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Gas engineer courses in Belfast
How to train for gas and oil heating work in and around Belfast, from a first plumbing course to ACS and OFTEC.
Belfast needs engineers who can work on both gas and oil. About 106,000 Belfast homes heat with gas only and 30,000 with oil only. An engineer with Gas Safe and OFTEC registration can take on almost any heating job in the city.
Belfast at a glance
- How homes are heated
- 70.9% of Belfast households heat with mains gas only and 20.2% (30,190 homes) with oil only. 2.4% use electricity only and 4.9% have two or more types of central heating. Source
- Training
- South Eastern Regional College runs Gas ACS training and assessment, OFTEC oil training and commercial gas courses at Newtownards. Belfast Met offers a Level 2 Plumbing and Heating traineeship and apprenticeship at its Millfield campus. Source
Starting out
Belfast Met offers a two-year Level 2 Plumbing and Heating traineeship and apprenticeship at its Millfield campus. It covers hot and cold water systems, central heating installation and maintenance. Apprentices must be employed in the domestic plumbing sector.
Plumbing and heating is the usual first step before gas or oil qualifications.
Gas ACS
South Eastern Regional College runs Gas ACS training and assessment at Newtownards, about 10 miles east of Belfast. The core domestic gas safety certificate, CCN1, is recognised by the Gas Safe Register. SERC also runs a Level 3 commercial gas course for engineers who already hold CCN1.
Gas Safe registration applies in Northern Ireland as it does in Great Britain. You need valid ACS certificates for each type of appliance you work on.
OFTEC for oil
SERC's Level 3 OFTEC course is for installers who want to become registered oil firing service technicians for pressure jet burners. With one in five Belfast homes on oil, these skills are in steady demand.
Where the work is
Gas engineers in Belfast install, service and repair boilers in more than 100,000 homes, and carry out annual safety checks for private landlords, who house one in five Belfast households. Oil technicians service around 30,000 oil-fired systems in the city.
As oil boilers age, some homes convert to gas where the network reaches them. Engineers who hold both gas and oil qualifications can handle the whole conversion apart from the new gas connection itself.
Areas covered
Engineers who cover Belfast work across areas including Ormeau, Stranmillis, Malone, Ballyhackamore, Sydenham, Andersonstown, Newtownabbey, Holywood, Dundonald and Carryduff.
Questions people in Belfast ask
Do I need both Gas Safe and OFTEC in Belfast?
Not legally, but holding both lets you service and repair both main heating fuels in the city.
How long do ACS certificates last?
Five years, after which you need reassessment to stay on the Gas Safe Register.
Can I take a gas course in Belfast without plumbing experience?
Most gas courses expect some plumbing or heating background, or supervised work experience. Starting with a plumbing and heating course at Belfast Met gives you that foundation.
Is there funding for gas training in Northern Ireland?
Apprenticeships are funded for eligible employed learners. For short ACS and OFTEC courses, ask SERC or Belfast Met about current fees and any funded places.