Moving Into the Gas Industry From Another Sector

Many of the best people working in gas today started somewhere else. Oil and gas, water, power, rail and construction all build skills the gas industry needs, and employers are increasingly open to experienced people moving across.

Here's how to make the move successfully.

Why now is a good time to move

Gas networks are busy. Distribution networks are replacing old iron mains, transmission assets need upgrading, and hydrogen projects are adding new work. At the same time, many experienced people are approaching retirement.

That combination means employers are looking beyond people who have only ever worked in gas, as long as candidates can show transferable skills and are willing to get the right tickets.

Skills that transfer well

• From oil and gas and process industries: pressure systems, hazardous-area working, permit-to-work systems, mechanical and EC&I skills, and commissioning experience all carry across directly, particularly into AGI and compressor work.
• From water: pipe-laying, street works, network operations and working for a regulated utility.
• From power and electricity networks: EC&I, protection and control, substation work and safety rules.
• From rail and highways: working under strict safety systems, possessions and permits, and managing complex civil works.
• From general construction: groundworks, civils, site management, CDM responsibilities and project delivery.

What gas employers look for

When you're moving across, a client wants to know three things:

• Can you work safely under their safety rules and permit systems?
• Do you understand what's different about gas, particularly live gas and pressurised assets?
• Can you show evidence of competence, not just claim it?

Your CV should answer those questions directly. Describe the assets you've worked on, the safety systems you've worked under, and the standards you've worked to. Our guide to writing the perfect CV has more tips.

Fill the gaps in your tickets

Most people moving across need to add a few gas-specific qualifications. Common ones are:

• EUSR SHEA Gas for distribution network roles.
• NRSWA street works if you'll be working in the highway.
• CCNSG if you're heading into transmission or industrial sites.
• CompEx if you're EC&I and new to hazardous areas.

Our guide to gas industry qualifications explains each one, and our training page covers how we can help you get them in place.

Be realistic about your first role

You may need to take a role slightly below your current level at first while you build gas-specific experience. That's normal, and it rarely lasts long for people with strong transferable skills. Good first steps include supervisory and technical roles on replacement programmes, AGI construction, or project support roles on larger schemes.

Talk to a gas specialist

A recruiter who only works in gas can tell you which clients are open to people from your background, and how to present your experience so it lands.

Have a look at our current gas jobs, and register with our candidate team to talk through your options.