I have recently passed my 3 year apprenticeship successfully which I am very proud about, but sadly I have struggled with epilepsy which has stopped me from driving. With me not being able to drive this has stopped me on getting a job after my apprenticeship and until it is under control and 12 months have passed so I can drive again I feel I am unable to get a job in the gas industry. Although I am trying to find work in gas that doesn’t require any driving whilst I’m in the period of recovery, if I am unsuccessful with this have my chances of a career in the gas industry gone? I am very passionate of having a career in this industry and when I do eventually get my driving license back I would be willing to take a lower wage to earn my way back into the industry if anyone would be willing to hire me. Should I give up on the gas industry as companies won’t want to hire me or is it worth still perusing in the future?
My career in the gas industry
- Thread starter bc1234
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It’s the Combustion Chamber. You’ll need your gas safe card to join
I know a couple of people with epilepsy and with medication have been able to drive.
Hopefully you’ll be ok. Don’t give up with gas, there’s plenty of engineers who will give you a job.
I'd hope you may be able to drive if possible, it shouldn't be a no-hoper. If not then there must be lots of tradesmen of all types who don't drive. Transit vans usually have 2 or 3 blokes in them, only 1 of them is driving. Perhaps the others have a licence, but the fact is that they don't drive. So there should be a job for you out there somewhere.
Don't hold yourself back, you may not even be required to tell potential employers about it, at least not before you're employed by them - you'd need to check the legalities to be sure though.
Don't hold yourself back, you may not even be required to tell potential employers about it, at least not before you're employed by them - you'd need to check the legalities to be sure though.
What if I went out of the industry for a year or two, and then when I can drive again how hard would it be to get back into it after being out of the gas industry for say two years due to the medical issue preventing me from getting a job?
Definitely not. Loads of tradespeople don't drive. That's why vans have passenger seats.
Head up, stopping putting yourself down and put yourself out there. You're a qualified gas engineer, the world needs you.
Get qualified legal advice to find out whether you even need to mention it to potential employers at the outset. It's possible that you don't even need to tell them, at least at the start. Just apply as a fully qualified genius who doesn't drive.
Head up, stopping putting yourself down and put yourself out there. You're a qualified gas engineer, the world needs you.
Get qualified legal advice to find out whether you even need to mention it to potential employers at the outset. It's possible that you don't even need to tell them, at least at the start. Just apply as a fully qualified genius who doesn't drive.
Loads?
Maybe some of them lost their licence for behaviour that reflects badly on their character.
Thanks for your unending positivity and ability to bicker about nothing.
I didn't say they can't drive, I said they often don't.
We had 3 plumbers here to fit a heating system. They all arrived in one van. I don't know whether the other two could drive, but the fact is that only the boss actually drove the van.
When we had a re-roof, it was a bloke and his son. His son hadn't even learnt to drive. His dad told me he wanted him to learn so he could nip out and get bits from suppliers now and then, but his son wasn't interested and it wasn't critical.
I doubt it's much of an obstacle if a junior workmate doesn't drive. Many bosses probably wouldn't let them drive their pride and joy van even if they could. Lots of younger people aren't very interested in learning these days.
In the longer term, I'd hope that someone with epilepsy probably could drive, I'm sure our poster here has looked into the issues but it's definitely not an automatic prohibition.
I'd suggest finding out whether you need to declare the epilepsy while applying - I suspect not.
Also don't state that you can't drive unless asked - don't volunteer this information unprompted.
Just emphasise the positives, i.e. that you're a newly qualified gas fitter, tell them about the jobs you've worked on. Only tell them negatives if asked.
Also don't state that you can't drive unless asked - don't volunteer this information unprompted.
Just emphasise the positives, i.e. that you're a newly qualified gas fitter, tell them about the jobs you've worked on. Only tell them negatives if asked.
I will drive eventually which will open up more opportunities but if I’m not working as a gas engineer for that time and take any interim job that’s not in gas for say a year or two just as a stop gap will it be possible to get back into the gas industry after two years of being in a non gas job because of medical reasons
It would be career suicide IMO. Don't give up before trying.
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One of the guys in the Combustion Chamber( @Agile ) sometimes uses public transport around London, not because of no licence, but it is easier. Probably just for servicing and repairs though.
i wouldn’t be doing it because I wanted to it’s because of the struggles which comes with the medical issue so it’s out of my hands if I cannot find a job and having to take time away from the gas industry because I have no other choice
