Gas engineer
Install, service and repair boilers and gas appliances safely – a trusted, legally registered trade with steady demand.
- Salary£25,000 – £45,000
- Hours40 to 45 hours a week; evenings, weekends and bank holidays on a rota (National Careers Service)
- Working for yourselfSelf-employment is common
What the job is like
Gas engineers (the National Careers Service calls the role gas service technician) install, service and repair boilers, cookers, fires and heating systems. Because gas work can be dangerous if done badly, it is a regulated trade: you must be on the Gas Safe Register to work on gas appliances in people's homes.
It suits calm, careful people who like diagnosing problems and dealing with customers face to face. Many engineers later add heat pump skills, move into supervising teams, or set up their own installation and servicing business.
What you'll do
- Install gas boilers, appliances and heating systems
- Carry out planned servicing and safety checks
- Test controls and safety devices
- Find and repair gas leaks using digital fault-finding equipment
- Replace worn or faulty parts
- Respond to emergency call-outs
- Complete work records and safety paperwork
- Advise customers on gas safety and using energy efficiently
Where you'll work
- Indoors
- In customers' homes
- Working at height
- In a team
- On your own
Skills and hobbies that help
Weighted by how much they matter in this job, from the official job profile's skills and tasks. Tap one to see other careers that use it.
Key skills
- Fixing things
- Problem-solving
- Technical know-how
- Attention to detail
- Safety-conscious
- Customer service
- Working independently
Used a lot
Hobbies that give you a head start
How to become a gas engineer
Apprenticeship
Gas Engineering Operative – Level 3 apprenticeship (ST0155), typical duration 18 months, covering domestic or non-domestic gas appliances.
Building Services Engineering Level 2 Foundation Apprenticeship as a first step if you are 16 to 21 (or 22 to 24 in some circumstances).
T Level
T Level in Building Services Engineering for Construction, choosing the gas engineering specialism.
College
Plumbing and heating courses can lead to a trainee job, but to fully qualify you need a recognised gas qualification such as a Level 3 Diploma in Gas Utilisation Installation and Maintenance, which normally requires you to be working.
Other ways in
Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS): experienced engineers from related trades such as plumbing or heating can have their competence assessed to gain a recognised gas certificate.
Qualifications, licences and cards
- Gas Safe registration – required by law to work on domestic gas
- ACS certificates of competence – a core gas safety assessment plus an assessment for each type of appliance you work on (for example boilers, cookers or fires)
- Recognised gas industry qualification, for example a Level 3 diploma in gas utilisation
Where it can lead
- Supervisory and management roles leading teams of engineers
- Set up your own installation and servicing business
- Retrain as a heat pump engineer working on low-carbon heating
Good to know
- The Health and Safety Executive says anyone employed to work on gas appliances in domestic premises must be a Gas Safe registered engineer, competent in that type of work. An engineer's competencies are listed on the back of their Gas Safe ID card.
- LCL Awards, an ACS certification body, notes that Gas Safe registration is a legal requirement for anyone carrying out gas work in the UK, the Isle of Man and Guernsey.
- Engineers with competent person scheme certification for heating can apply for the government's Heat Training Grant, which offers up to £500 off heat pump training (as of September 2026).
Courses and training
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T Level
Find a T Level near you – T Levels (Department for Education)
Two-year technical courses for 16 to 19 year olds in England, with an industry placement of at least 315 hours. Search for schools and colleges offering the T Level you want.
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Funding
Heat Training Grant – GOV.UK
A government grant towards heat pump installation training in England for eligible heating engineers and small businesses. Check the current amount and eligibility on GOV.UK.
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Assessment
ACS gas assessments – Explained by LCL Awards
The Accredited Certification Scheme is how experienced gas engineers show their competence, which is needed for Gas Safe registration.
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Apprenticeship search
Find an apprenticeship – GOV.UK
The official GOV.UK service for searching and applying for apprenticeship vacancies in England.
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Course search
Find a course – National Careers Service
The National Careers Service search for college and training provider courses in England, including Skills Bootcamps.
Official information
Sources
We checked these pages in September 2026. Rules, pay and courses change, so always confirm with the official source.
- National Careers Service: Gas service technician nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/gas-service-technician
- Gas engineering operative (Level 3, ST0155) skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st0155-v1-3
- HSE: gas safety frequently asked questions hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/faqs.htm
- What is the ACS gas scheme? (LCL Awards) lclawards.co.uk/learner-zone/what-is-the-acs-gas-scheme/
- Competent person schemes (GOV.UK) gov.uk/guidance/competent-person-scheme-current-schemes-and-how-schemes-are-authorised
- Heat Training Grant (GOV.UK) gov.uk/government/publications/heat-training-grant-for-heat-pumps
- T Level: Building Services Engineering for Construction tlevels.gov.uk/students/subjects/building-services-engineering