EP #34 – Why Gas Engineers Are Struggling In 2025 w/ @tomkatgastraining
Overview
Ever wonder why some tradespeople thrive while others just scrape by?
Join host Tulloch Priest as he sits down with Derek Robins, AKA @tomkatgastraining, an experienced gas engineer and founder of TomKat Gas Training Ltd.
Highlights
Background
- (1:15) Derek shares his background and how he got into the gas industry – as well as getting into teaching after being in a serious car accident.
Challenges in the trades
- (3:30) The biggest problem self-employed engineers have is time. People don’t always understand what’s involved when it comes to balancing life and business.
- (4:35) Derek thinks it’s all about getting the right people around you. Know what you’re good at, stick with it, and get help where you need it.
- (22:30) Heat pumps are one of the biggest challenges at the moment – getting people interested in them and swapping over.
- (23:40) Taking an apprentice on is a massive cost for a business. Public liability insurance, van insurance, etc is incredibly expensive.
Starting & running a business
- (6:05) Derek spent 12 months preparing his business. If you don’t have time to prepare, don’t start a business.
- (7:2o) Learning how to run a business is tough when you’re learning to be a gas engineer – but there are online resources and courses to do after.
- (12:00) A few of Derek’s friends have gone from being self-employed to working in a business again.
- (13:30) A lot of gas engineers devalue their services and charge way too little. You need to make £150 a day before they can break even.
- (15:05) On pricing: try charging higher – there’s no harm in trying. Customers are getting many more quotes than they used to, but for some, it’s purely about the standard of work.
- (17:20) Materials have gone up in prices, but labour costs have stagnated.
Getting into the industry
- (9:38) The Managed Learning Programme is 6 months to 2 years, but most take 12-15 months because of the portfolio. Most at TomKat go on to start their own business.
- (19:00) Apps can help, but engineers shouldn’t be reliant on them.
- (21:20) There’s a wide range of people trying to get into the gas industry – some completely new to the trades and some who are already plumbers.
- (24:50) The vast majority of trainees that Derek gets are immigrants looking to retrain. In the last year, he’s only had 2 people under 20 years old. Part of this is due to how little apprentices earn.
- (27:50) Derek offers pay-as-you-go for his courses so trainees can learn in their holidays or free time and still work another job at the same time.