If you're thinking of switching careers, it's helpful to imagine what your day-to-day tasks may look like. To help you get started, we've put together an example of what a day in the life of a gas engineer might look like.
No two working days are ever the same in the life of a gas engineer, but through our years of expertise, we have a pretty good idea of what to expect. So, without further ado, welcome to a day in the life of a gas engineer!
8:30-10:00: Briefing & Material Collection
You'll usually start the day off bright and early to ensure that you can get as much done as possible within your day. Usually, you'll hop in your company van and head over to your business's office for around 8:30am, where you will have a daily briefing with your line manager and peers.
This is a chance for jobs to be delegated between yourself and your peers, and it provides an opportunity for you to ask any questions or raise any concerns before your day as a gas engineer begins. At this point, you will be aware of what materials and equipment you need, so you can head over to the storeroom or the warehouse where equipment is kept to pick up what you need.
You'll probably have to sign in and out for the equipment to avoid anything getting lost or damaged throughout the day. Once you've collected your gear, it's time to head off to your first job of the day!
10:00-11:30: Gas Metre Installations
This morning you've been given some routine gas metre installations to complete. These are standard routine installations that you do on the daily, so it's a great task to start the day with. You also get to meet lots of different people so you're never stuck in one place.
You'll start by going to either a business building or a customer's home, where you'll set up your equipment. You'll have to establish where to put the gas metre depending on the layout of the building (such as whether it's a block of flats, or a singular house). You'll also have to use computer/mobile imaging to check for any pipes or wires behind walls as these can cause safety risks during installation.
Gas metre installations take 20-40 minutes to complete, so you manage to get a few done within this timeframe. Once the metre is installed, you'll brief the customer on how to use their new gas metre. Don't forget to tidy up and leave the area as you left it!
11:30-12:00: Time Sheeting & Check-In
Once you've completed your morning tasks, it's time to timesheet your work and check in with your manager to check that you're on schedule, and it's another opportunity to clear up anything you may be confused about or ask any questions before your afternoon begins.
At this point, you may want to drop off some equipment that you no longer need back at the warehouse or storeroom.
12:00-13:00: Lunch!
Arguably the best part of the day! Now's your chance to take a break and eat your lunch. It's important to have a healthy work-life balance throughout the day, so make sure that you use your lunch to relax and take your mind off of work.
You could go for a walk, play on your phone, read the news... the world is your oyster for an hour, and then it's time to get back to the grind!
13:00-16:00: Gas Leak Repair
There is no typical day for a gas engineer - tasks can pop up out of anywhere, often unexpectedly, and you may even be called out on emergency tasks. This is exactly what's happened today - your line manager has given you a ring to say that you're needed for an emergency gas leak repair this afternoon.
Gas leaks are extremely serious, so the safety of yourself and your customer should be a priority. You'll start the task by identifying the area of the leak. In some cases, you may have to remove some building material or dirt to get to the corroded piping.
Once you've found the source of the leak, you realise that this is a way bigger task than you first expected! This property still has its original gas piping infrastructure, and the pipes are badly corroded and damaged. You're going to need to replace the whole thing to stop the leak happening again in the future.
A gas leak repair can take anything from 4 hours to a few days depending on the extent of the leak, so you spend the next few hours starting to repair the infrastructure and replacing the pipes. You reach a point where not much can be done due to tomorrow as you need a specific part ordered in, so you wrap up and leave the property as you found it.
You've turned off the gas supply so it's safe for the customer to enter the home, but you advise them to not use any gas equipment until you say it's safe to do so.
16:00-17:00: Paperwork and Equipment Returns
After a busy day and an unexpected task, you have paperwork to fill out to ensure that you've started the gas repair safely within industry and regulation standards. You call your line manager to inform them of the big task ahead so they can assign other gas engineers to the task with you and to check that you've followed the correct procedures.
You also order in the parts that you need to continue with the repairs tomorrow, and you head back to the storeroom or warehouse to return all of the equipment you've used today. You sign to say you've returned it all, and you're free to go!
17:00: Home Time!
It's home time at around 5pm, so you head back into your van and drive back home, knowing that you've helped many customers today. Before you know it, you'll be back to do it all again tomorrow!
Become a Gas Engineer with Access Training
If our vision of the day in the life of a gas engineer sounds good, it could be the perfect job for you!
There are a number of different avenues to explore with our range of fast-track gas courses. Gas engineers are in huge demand, and the salaries are extremely rewarding, too.
So, if you're keen to pursue a career as a gas engineer, we're ready to help you take the first steps. Browse our gas courses below and be sure to get in touch.
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