A career with British Gas means working for a well known British brand, helping customers across the UK. Apprenticeships with British Gas are run through Centrica (British Gas’ parent company) who in 2021 set the goal to employ over 1000 apprentices.
With over 9,000 highly trained engineers and technicians, British Gas are constantly on the lookout for new talent, and their apprenticeship scheme is one of their primary modes of recruitment. They are also putting steps in place to improve diversity and inclusion within their intake, pledging to attract and employ more female apprentices than anytime in their 200 year history.
Video: Apprenticeships at Centrica
What schemes are available?
British Gas runs several different apprenticeship schemes across their network. The largest programmes are as follows:
Smart Energy Expert Apprentice
As a Smart Energy expert apprentice you’ll help to install smart meters all over the UK.
With the need to reach net zero by 2050, Smart Energy Experts will play an important role in the UK’s decarbonisation strategy.
You’ll be provided with training at one of Centrica’s award-winning learning centres to give you the technical skills and knowledge that you need. You’ll also get your own fully equipped van to travel to different customers’ homes.
Once qualified, Smart Energy expert apprentices can move into more advanced roles such as Heat Pump Engineers or Electric Vehicle Charging Point Engineers as well as Gas Service & Repair Engineers.
Apprentice Smart Engineer
The apprentice smart engineer is an all round role, but with a more traditional gas engineering focus. They will typically spend their time on activities such as servicing boilers and repairing central heating. They may also help to install electric smart meters.
Similar career progression routes are available: Heat Pump Engineers or Electric Vehicle Charging Point Engineers as well as Gas Service & Repair Engineers.
Entry requirements
If you have four GCSE’s/Scottish NAT5’s, or equivalent at grade C/4 or above, preferably including Math’s and English, a driving licence and excellent customer service skill we want you to come join us.
Salary and benefits
As an apprentice your salary will start at £14,000 rising to £17,000 after 19 weeks and £20,000 after 27 weeks.
Once fully qualified and working full time, it is expected that your salary will have risen to £28,000.
Additionally, on average engineers can earn a further £4000 each year through bonuses and overtime. British Gas offer an array of excellent benefits including pension and company discounts.
Why choose an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships have a lot going for them. Not only can they help you get into some of the biggest and most well regarded companies in the world, but they also offer you the chance to get a qualification, while also being paid.
Unlike university, apprenticeships (even degree apprenticeships) don’t cost any fees and are guaranteed to pay an apprentice minimum wage. Additionally, apprenticeships give you the chance to enter a role at different levels of qualification, so they are open to people of all backgrounds and skill levels.
Working as a gas apprenticeship in the energy sector
If you’ve plenty of enthusiasm, curiosity, and motivation then working in the energy sector is a career path that you’ll hopefully find incredibly rewarding.
Working alongside some of the brightest engineering minds, you will gain in-depth technical knowledge and build sought-after skills. The energy sector will become even more important over the next couple of decades, as sustainability and smart energy practices accelerate our journey to net zero, and as a gas and energy engineer, you could be at the forefront of this exciting change.
Find out more:
Relax. We’ll send the jobs to you.
Reckon you know what you want to do, but can’t find the perfect role? Most companies hire their apprentices in a ‘recruitment window’. This means many great jobs are only available for a short time once or twice each year.
Sign up for our job alerts service, and we’ll send you any jobs that fit your search criteria.
