Home Gas engineer courses Dundee
Gas engineer courses in Dundee
How to get into gas and heating work from Dundee, whether you are leaving school or already work as a plumber.
Three in four Dundee homes heat with mains gas, and one in five is privately rented with a yearly gas safety check. All of that work has to be done by someone on the Gas Safe Register, and registration depends on passing ACS gas assessments.
Dundee at a glance
- How homes are heated
- 75.6% of Dundee City households use mains gas central heating and 13.6% electric, including storage heaters. 3.0% have no central heating. Only 84 households heat with oil. Source
- Plumbing training
- Dundee and Angus College runs a one-year Plumbing Skills pre-apprenticeship course at its Kingsway Campus. Source
College first
Dundee and Angus College runs a one-year Plumbing Skills pre-apprenticeship at its Kingsway Campus, covering the basics of water, heating and drainage. It is a common first step before finding an employer for a Modern Apprenticeship.
The Plumbing and Heating Modern Apprenticeship in Scotland is at SCQF Level 7 and usually takes around three years, with college blocks alongside paid work.
Entry for this kind of course usually involves an interview and a short test rather than high grades. Check the current requirements and start dates with the college before applying.
The gas qualification
To work on gas, you need ACS certificates in the core safety unit, CCN1, and the appliances you will work on, such as boilers. Plumbers usually reach this through a managed learning programme with supervised gas work, followed by assessment. Check any provider's approval before paying, and be wary of short courses that promise registration without a portfolio.
Re-assessment for qualified engineers
ACS certificates last five years. Gas engineers already on the register need to book re-assessment before theirs expire, and approved centres across Scotland run them. Booking early avoids a gap in registration.
Local work
Dundee's older housing gives a varied workload: tenement flues, ageing combis in postwar flats and homes moving off electric heating. North and west of the city, oil is common in Angus and Perth and Kinross, so OFTEC training can widen the jobs you can take on.
Areas covered
Engineers who cover Dundee work across areas including Broughty Ferry, West End, Lochee, Stobswell, Hilltown, Menzieshill, Downfield, Fintry, Douglas and Monifieth.
Questions people in Dundee ask
Can I start without qualifications?
Some pre-apprenticeship and access courses have low entry requirements but involve an interview or test. Contact the college about current entry routes.
What about heat pumps?
Heat pump installation needs separate training, and installers whose customers use the Home Energy Scotland grant must be MCS certified. Many gas engineers add it once registered.
Do apprentices get paid?
Yes. A Modern Apprenticeship is a job, so you are paid by your employer while you study.
Is there demand for gas engineers in Dundee?
Gas still heats about three quarters of the city's homes, and every rented one needs a yearly safety check, so servicing and repairs provide regular work.
Sources
- Planit: Dundee and Angus College, Plumbing Skills (Pre-Apprenticeship)
- Apprenticeships.scot: Plumbing and Heating Modern Apprenticeship
- Gas Safe Register
Also nearby: Gas engineer courses in Edinburgh, Gas engineer courses in Aberdeen, Gas engineer courses in Glasgow