Gas engineer courses in Bournemouth and Poole

Bournemouth and Poole College

The college runs a Managed Learning Programme (gas foundation course) for new entrants, ACS assessments for boilers, cookers, fires and meters, and LPG categories for residential park homes, leisure vehicles and boats.

It is a BPEC Registered Gas Assessment Centre, so experienced engineers also come here for ACS reassessment, which must be renewed every five years. Check fees, dates and entry requirements with the college's gas centre before booking.

Starting from scratch

If you have no plumbing or heating background, look for a Level 3 gas apprenticeship with a local employer, or take a plumbing course first. A managed learning programme suits people with some site experience who can build a portfolio of supervised gas work.

Courses that promise registration in a few weeks without a portfolio are a warning sign.

LPG and specialist gas

BCP had 637 homes on tank or bottled gas only in 2021, and 657 households living in caravans or other mobile homes. Park homes, touring caravans and boats use LPG, and each needs its own ACS category. Adding them gives a newly qualified engineer work that many domestic engineers can't do.

Steady local demand

A quarter of BCP households rent privately, and every let home needs a gas safety check each year. Many new engineers start on landlord checks and servicing before moving on to installations.