MLP for the Gas Industry, the best route in.

This article is to address the stigma and negativity surrounding the Managed Learning Programs (MLP’s) from generally older generations within the trade who do not quite understand what it entails, in which new entrants to the gas industry enrol into, carry out complete training sessions under the tutelage and guidance of professionals, and achieve their dream of becoming a qualified tradesperson.

Recently I've read a lot of negative feedback comments regarding MLP programs for new entrants and people to get into the gas industry.

I, myself have been in the Plumbing, Heating and Gas Industry for all my working life, which is the last 23 years, I started off as a novice and improved to the point that I hold all of my domestic, commercial and LPG qualifications as well as my Unvented amongst others.

I started my career immediately after school at the age of 16 as an apprentice plumber, for this I was paid 60 pounds per week.

I was with the company for a year and a half to 2 years when my apprenticeship advanced into a gas apprenticeship, as well as this I had a pay increase up to 180 pounds per week.

I became Corgi registered at the age of 19 around about 3 years into my career.

This new chapter of my career, as a qualified gas engineer I was paid 300 pounds per week for the next five years so after nearly 8 and a half years in the industry I was earning 300 pounds per week, now, if I had a family, if I had commitments, if I had a mortgage I would not be able to afford all of that and continue to learn.

An apprenticeship was a good learning curve, however I was left on jobs at times, out of my depth and learning ‘on the job’.

Then over the next 15 year I was able to fine tune my skills, always learning, always evolving and you never ever know everything.

You show me an engineer who has never made a mistake and I will show you a liar.

My career path evolved, and I wanted to give back, so I moved into teaching, sharing my knowledge and most importantly my experience.

I have been teaching for the last few years and my experience with the learners I have encountered is that they are all conscientious and eager to learn, the same cannot be said for everybody on the apprenticeship route unfortunately.

I do see that some learners working out in the field with an experienced gas engineer picking up some bad habits due to learning from someone with an abundance of on site experience but sometime perhaps not going completely by the book, this in itself can be detrimental and at some point may have dire consequences.

When learning through the MLP the learners have the access to all of the theoretical knowledge and expertise of some truly gifted individuals, with more experience than I have been alive and really keen to teach gas for the betterment of OUR industry.

When learning the practical side in centre, we are able to create real world scenarios and allow the learners all the time to fault find and learn without some being rushed due to time constraints, customers looking over their shoulders.

They are able to make errors or mistakes which are not safety issues but little things that may help build up their skills and experience for when they do go in to the real world environments.

Each and every stage of their learning is assessed at staged intervals with progress, formative and summative assessments.

I believe the Managed Learning Program is the best route in to an industry short of real skilled and conscientious engineers, in such a way we can ensure and maintain the quality of learning is upheld without the need of a ‘traditional apprenticeship’.

The Gas, Heating , Plumbing industry is NOT an old boys club or an elitist trade. It is an all inclusive, diverse and important trade which we should help and support each other, constructive advice is an amazing thing (its feeds and allows evolution and growth), negativity and bigoted attitudes lead to resentment and toxic atmospheres.

In my opinion everybody deserves a chance to better themselves, no matter when they decide to start their journey. Not everyone is as fortunate as me and can go in straight from school.

So really what I'm saying is just because people before me have struggled it doesn't mean other people have to, OK they may not have the experience yet, but this is not about that, it is about Gas safety and being safe, the people on the Managed Learning Program are being taught to recognize and deal with unsafe situations.

There was some new entrants who I have taught with zero experience and they have become qualified, and in my opinion, (I've been out on the tools for 23 years) and I would have more confidence in the competence of some of the these guys than engineers that I know have been in the industry for more than a decade and this is because they are conscientious and CARE.

If you are conscientious you will be able to identify an unsafe situation and deal with it appropriately as per the Gas Industry Unsafe Situations Procedures, they will let the customer know and explain about fixing it, the best course of action to make safe, and repair if necessary, but more importantly they will turn off the appliances or they will cut and cap as necessary.

Despite the fact they WILL be qualified and not have years of trade experience, they will have had the training and understanding that they require to ensure the Gas Safe Industry Unsafe Situations Procedures are carried out to the letter and indeed be Gas Safe. After they have walked through that door into the world of being a Gas Safe engineer it is up to them to attend manufacturer specific training days, fault finding courses and hone their skills in the workplace building up their experience.

The trade is open to everybody, regardless of their creed, colour, gender or sexual orientation, if you’re good enough to do the job and have the right attitude you will do just fine.

A great man once said to me ‘if the first plumber kept all the knowledge to himself and never told anyone, where would we be?!’