Apprentice Gas Engineer
Course title: Building Services Engineering – Plumbing and Heating
Location: Caerphilly
Contract Type: Fixed Term Apprenticeship
Salary:
Age 16–18: £8.00 per hour — 40 hours per week (including time at college)
Age 19–20: £11.06 per hour — 42.5 hours per week (including time at college)
Age 21+: £12.71 per hour — 42.5 hours per week (including time at college)
Training provider: Coleg Y Cymoedd
You will join Mears Group in the week commencing 03/08/2026, and your apprenticeship course will begin in the week commencing 21/09/2026. The programme has an expected duration of approximately 48 months
Celtic Horizons is a partnership between United Welsh Group and Mears Group PLC, delivering repairs, maintenance and improvement services to over 6,800 homes across South Wales.
The work we do helps keep homes safe, well maintained and in good condition for the people who live in them. Every day our teams are out in the community delivering a range of repairs, maintenance and planned improvement works across local housing.
About apprenticeships at Mears Group:
Apprenticeships are an underpinning part of Mears’ philosophy; we are committed to developing the next generation of our workforce, many of our most senior people started their working life as an apprentice.
Whether you are fresh out of school or college or looking for a complete career change, Mears can offer you a great foundation to your future career and beyond.
All our Apprentices are paid above the national minimum wage, and you’ll be paid for your normal working hours plus your attendance at college, with the opportunity to get real life experiences such as working in people’s homes, getting involved in community projects and improving people’s lives by being customer focused.
What does a life as a Gas Engineer look like?
As a Gas Engineer you will be assisting with the installation, maintenance and repair of plumbing systems, learning to diagnose and resolve faults. You will be able to provide our customers with products and services that help them have peace of mind by assisting them to understand how their appliances work and how to manage their energy usage efficiently.
The apprenticeship course will cover the following: -
Health and safety legislation, codes of practice and safe working practices
Understand selection, planning, installation, testing, commissioning and de-commissioning, service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and repair techniques on cold water, hot water, central heating, above ground drainage and rainwater systems
Understand installation and testing techniques for electrical components and control systems on plumbing and domestic heating systems
Understand the principles of domestic mechanical environmental technology systems
Understand the principles of fuel combustion, ventilation and fluing arrangements within a domestic environment
Understand the principles of high-quality customer service and establishing the needs of others (colleagues, customers and other stakeholders). Respect the working environment including customer’s properties
Understand different communication methods, how to communicate in a clear, articulate and appropriate manner and how to adapt communication style to suit different situations
What do you need to be a successful applicant: -
GCSEs in English and maths at grade 4 or above
You will need to live within the MK postcode
The ability to travel to your college provider and to your branch when required
A genuine desire to learn and develop strong technical knowledge, including the skills, technology, and safety procedures needed to carry out the full range of tasks
Strong communication skills
Ability to build and maintain positive customer and client relationships
Please note due to the nature of the role, successful applicants must complete a basic maths and English assessment
What you will get:
Tools, Chromebook, and uniform supplied
An industry‑recognised qualification
25 days’ annual leave, plus bank holidays
£250 contribution towards driving lessons
Annual Mears Fun Day - a company‑wide celebration as a thank‑you from the Executive Team
Support from Mears Group Apprentice Ambassadors
Apprenticeship events and reward trips
Staff perks through Mears Rewards - including discounts on weekly groceries (up to 10%), holidays, eye‑test vouchers, ShareSave scheme, and more
Application Process:
All applicants must submit their CV and complete the apprenticeship questionnaire via the Mears Careers website
If shortlisted, you will be contacted to confirm whether you have been selected for the next stage - this may be an assessment centre or an individual interview
Please note: as part of the selection process, you will be required to complete a basic maths and English test, similar to the assessments needed to join the college
A bit about us.
Mears Group PLC is a leading provider of housing and care services in the UK. With a strong emphasis on social responsibility and community well-being, Mears specialises in delivering housing solutions, maintenance services, and care support to a diverse client base. The group’s expertise encompasses responsive repairs, planned maintenance, and housing management, contributing to the overall improvement of living conditions for individuals and communities. Mears Group is committed to fostering a positive impact on society, making it an attractive prospect for individuals seeking a career in a socially responsible and dynamic organisation. A career with Mears Group means putting people and customers at the heart of what you do, every day. Our culture is built on what we call our ‘Red Thread’ – the common values we share that make us what we are.
All our roles require candidates to have the entitlement to work within the UK, Mears does not currently offer visa sponsorship.
Candidates should be aware that all our roles are subject to relevant Background, Identity & Security checks before commencement of employment
Required Qualifications:
Secondary SchoolApply below or to discuss your application further; contact:
Vickie Rudge ([email protected])If you need any help with your application process, we are here to support you. We will be accessible every step of the way.
At Mears Group, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, we are a Disability Confident employer, valuing individuality and ensuring equal opportunities for all.
We proudly support the Armed Forces Covenant and are honoured to have achieved the Gold Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) to coincide with this, we hold an Endorser Award for the Career Transition Partnership, recognising our commitment to veterans transitioning into civilian careers.
In our continued effort to promote social mobility, we invite applicants to voluntarily share their background information during the application stages to help us better understand the diverse experiences of our candidates. This is to ensure we are committed to improving social mobility. We use the Social Mobility Index to assess and enhance opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds. These questions are optional and will not impact your ability to apply.
Skills Required
- GCSEs in English and maths at grade 4 or above
- Secondary School qualification
- Entitlement to work in the UK (no visa sponsorship offered)
- Live within the MK postcode
- Ability to travel to college provider and branch when required
- Complete basic maths and English assessment as part of selection
- Background, identity and security checks before employment
- Strong communication skills
- Genuine desire to learn and develop technical knowledge
- Ability to build and maintain positive customer and client relationships
Mears Group Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Mears Group and has not been reviewed or approved by Mears Group.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — 25 days’ holiday with the option to buy additional days, plus paid volunteering time, signal a comparatively generous time-off offering. Flexible working available in many roles further supports practical time-off and balance.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Retail discounts, Cycle to Work, an employee assistance line, volunteering days, and company family events add tangible non-cash value. Access to training and UK‑recognised qualifications reinforces the broader wellbeing and development offering.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — A stated commitment to pay at or above the Real Living Wage and the publication of pay-related reports indicate governance and baseline fairness focus. Independent snapshots also suggest many roles meet living‑wage thresholds.
Mears Group Insights
What We Do
Mears Group is a market-leading housing and care company that provides bespoke services to our clients. We provide and manage 11,000 homes for local and central Government and are also responsible for keeping 750,000 of all social housing in the UK in good repair. Mears has 6,500 employees and a footprint across the country








