Customer Engineering Apprentice - Women in Gas

Summary

You might not see many women in roles like this yet, but that’s changing. This apprenticeship gives you hands-on experience responding to gas-related issues, making homes safe, and supporting customers. It’s a practical, people-focused role where you’ll build confidence, judgement, and technical skills.

Wage

£23,027 a year

Salary increases upon successful completion of year 1

Training course

Gas network craftsperson (level 3)

Hours

You’ll begin working Monday to Friday, 8:30am–5:00pm, while you build your skills. As your confidence grows, you’ll move onto a rotating shift pattern covering 24/7 operations, including evenings, nights, and weekends.

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 14 September 2026

Duration

2 years

Positions available

6

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

• Work alongside experienced engineers in customers’ homes, learning how to carry out repairs, maintenance, and installations
• Respond to gas-related issues, helping to make homes safe and putting customers at ease
• Build confidence in diagnosing problems and taking the right action to resolve them
• Communicate clearly and calmly, making sure customers feel informed and reassured
• Support customers who may need extra help, showing patience, care and understanding
• Learn through a mix of hands-on experience and training at our York Training Centre
• Follow safety procedures carefully, taking responsibility for your work
• Develop your technical skills, judgement, and confidence as you grow into the role

Where you'll work

You can select which locations you want to apply for in your application on Find an apprenticeship.

This apprenticeship is available in these locations:

• Northern Gas Networks, Durham, DH1 3PT
• Northern Gas Networks, Hudderfield, HD8 0AJ
• Northern Gas Networks, Hull, HU19 2AL
• Northern Gas Networks, Leeds, LS9 0SR
• Northern Gas Networks, Middlesbrough, TS1 5JJ
• Northern Gas Networks, Newcastle, NE15 8TA

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

RELYON NUTEC UK LIMITED

Training course

Gas network craftsperson (level 3)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Undertake and document risk assessments in accordance with company procedures
• Comply with workplace health, safety & environmental practices and regulations, maintaining a safe and secure working environment
• Follow engineering instructions and company procedures to complete tasks safely and on-time
• Undertake inspection and examination of network assets in order to maintain the safe and compliant operation of the network to ensure the integrity, safety and security of supply
• Maintain and/or install gas engineering assets, components and associated equipment
• Install, test, purge and commission gas network assets
• Operate powered tools and equipment, such as drills, angle grinders, brush cutters and shot blasting equipment as required for network maintenance operations.
• Use approved gas detection equipment to ensure safe environment
• Use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and safety equipment in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions and employer policy
• Obtain and analyse asset condition and performance information to facilitate decision making
• Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks, with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact
• Through risk assessment, minimise risks to life, property and the environment when undertaking work activities
• Accurately record job information, complete job reports and process
• Liaise with gas consumers, statutory agencies and members of the public in order to ensure their safety
• Accurately update company systems with details of work undertaken
• Apply electrical theories and principles and use equipment to carry out diagnostic fault finding procedures
• Inspect, maintain, repair, overhaul test and calibrate instrumentation and control equipment and circuits in accordance with company procedures
• Maintain site lighting and fixed and portable equipment which may include generators, batteries and associated equipment
• Carry out cable testing across a range of voltages to ensure safety and suitability for use
• Install, maintain and dismantle instruments, controllers, probes, attachments, cabling, meters and display units
• Configure telemetry outstation and internal systems
• Identify and resolve data quality and calibration issues
• Test, calibrate and validate fixed and portable analogue and digital instrumentation using approved procedures and standards
• Repair, maintain, configure and calibrate field instrumentation, communication devices and associated equipment used in system and process control
• Use standards and specifications to improve the information gathered by telemetry data
• Inspect and maintain security equipment, telecommunication devices and alarm systems
• Carry out isolation procedures to ensure process or system stability and the safety of personnel when carrying out operations
• Provide support to day-to-day users of instrumentation and control systems
• Ensure consistent and valid data is available for business and regulation purposes
• Apply electrical skills to install, maintain and dismantle a wide range of plant, machinery and components
• Apply mechanical theories and principles for example thermo dynamics and laminar flow theories, in order to carry out diagnostic fault finding procedures
• Carry out remote pressure monitoring & control on the gas network
• Inspect and monitor mechanical systems and equipment in order to ensure safety and suitability for service
• Undertake corrosion inspection activities
• Maintain, dismantle and repair mechanical equipment and components
• Test mechanical equipment and systems to ensure integrity, safety and security of supply
• Assist in installing mechanical systems and equipment
• Install, maintain and dismantle a wide range of complex plant, machinery and components including; pressure regulators, safety devices, system protection devices and monitoring equipment.
• Consult design specifications to analyse and calculate mechanical system parameters and rectification procedures
• Interpret plans and drawings to install, position or re-locate mechanical equipment and components
• Test, service and repair mechanical equipment as part of planned preventative maintenance and/or reactive maintenance programmes
• Install mechanical components including regulators, filters, valves, compressor equipment
• Maintain mechanical components including regulators, filters, valves, compressor equipment
• Apply pressure reduction techniques to assist in dealing with gas emergencies
• Inspect and maintain condition monitoring equipment
• Locate and avoid underground plant and equipment prior to and whilst undertaking activities
• Install signing, lighting and guarding systems
• Apply non-destructive testing theories and principles in order to carry out diagnostic fault finding procedures
• Apply the theories and principles of integrity testing, purging commissioning and de-commission of gas pipelines and associated equipment and components
• Inspect, monitor, maintain, dismantle, install and repair pipeline systems and equipment for example; flow regulators, safety devices, system protection devices, measurement devices and monitoring equipment
• Remove, repair and replace components of gas transportation pipelines and associated equipment
• Undertake corrosion prevention activities i.e. cathodic protection systems and monitoring, coating and wrapping
• Take action to prevent third parties causing damage to gas transportation pipeline assets and equipment i.e. tracing, marking, monitoring third party activities and responding to encroachments
• Liaise with relevant land owners and third parties e.g. statutory agencies and members of the public
• Consult design specifications to analyse and calculate pipeline system parameters and rectification procedures
• Interpret plans and drawings to install, position or re-locate pipeline equipment and components
• Test, service and repair pipeline equipment as part of planned preventative maintenance and/or reactive maintenance programmes
• Operate specialised tools and equipment for pipeline maintenance operations for example; in line inspection tools, damage assessment, intelligent pigging, valve repairs, flow stopping and under pressure drilling.
• Liaise with emergency services and other statutory authorities as necessary
• Organise additional resources to facilitate repairs as required
• Respond to reported pipeline gas emergencies
• Respond to public reported upstream gas emergencies, including damage to or failure of gas mains and services that supply a consumer’s premise
• Respond to public reported downstream gas emergencies, including reported gas escapes inside customers properties and reports of carbon monoxide
• Carry out site investigations in relation to gas emergencies, in line with company procedures
• Use gas detection equipment to identify gas concentrations
• Interpret gas readings to determine the safety of the site
• Apply evacuation procedures where required
• Apply the industry unsafe situations procedures
• Install and exchange gas meters and pressure regulators
• Install domestic pipework
• Tightness test, purge, commission and de-commission domestic gas pipework
• Tightness test, purge, commission and de-commission non-domestic gas pipework
• Locate and avoid underground plant and equipment whilst undertaking activities in the highway

Training schedule

• You’ll start with an induction week at Thorpe Park, Leeds, including HR, health and safety, equipment fitting, and course enrolment
• You’ll meet your manager early on and be supported to get set up with everything you need
• During weeks 2–5, you’ll spend time on patch, learning alongside experienced engineers and getting a feel for the role
• You’ll also complete training in areas like health and safety, mental health, and safeguarding
• From week 6, you’ll move into full-time training at our York Training Centre
• Learning is a blend of classroom sessions, practical training, and supported experience out on the job
• You’ll gradually build a portfolio of work as your confidence and skills develop

More training information

• Training is designed to support you step by step, combining theory with practical experience
• You’ll learn from experienced engineers and trainers who will guide you throughout
• The programme gives you space to build confidence as well as technical knowledge

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade 4 or higher)
• Maths (grade 4 or higher)
• Science (any) (grade 4 or higher)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Customer care skills
• Problem solving skills
• Analytical skills
• Logical
• Team working
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience
• Calm under pressure
• Good judgement
• Empathy

Other requirements

• Aged 18 or over at the point of starting the apprenticeship
• Full UK driving licence (or working towards one)
• Willing to travel to our York Training Centre for training
• Comfortable working in customers’ homes and different environments
• Willing to work shifts as you progress, including evenings and weekends
• Committed to working safely and taking responsibility for your actions