Hands On - Plumbing – getting the right training

It has been said that, by next year, the UK will need some 29,000 plumbers. Certainly in some parts of the country it does seem that people from the new EU member countries are flocking to meet the demand for plumbers, electricians, bricklayers – specialist trades that seem to have disappeared here in the UK.

Fortunately, the government seems to be waking up to the fact that these skills are valuable and crucial to the success of an economy. College plumbing courses are massively oversubscribed and are too few in number to cope with demand. Therefore, private training companies are rising to the challenge of delivering this training.

Training has traditionally been long term, with time spent serving apprenticeships; for youngsters with no experience and few social skills, this can still be the best route into the industry. However, people who have been trained by the best and most expensive training course in the world – the UK’s Armed Forces – have the sort of transferable skills that can take advantage of the opportunities offered by private training companies.

Plumber or plumbing boss?

You may see yourself as an employed domestic plumber, self-employed as a single van operation (SVO) or managing a multi-van operation (MVO). You may want to start your own business, or invest in one of the many plumbing franchises that have set themselves up to meet the demand for such skills.

Coming from the Services, it is likely that you will have the basic skills required. It is also likely that you will have the organisational and people skills to work in people’s homes. Different technology can be a barrier, but it is certainly possible to learn it. Transferable skills can also reduce training time. A good private training company should offer pre-assessment of your skills and experience before you embark on any course. Some charge for assessment; some do not.

Other skills

In addition to mechanical or organisational abilities, anyone coming into the plumbing trade needs basic qualifications in Maths and English – ideally at GCSE level A–C. A plumber must be able to do certain calculations – they are not difficult, but they are necessary. These qualifications can easily be gained in-Service through distance learning.

Private training

Plumbing courses at colleges are oversubscribed and best serve youngsters with no prior skills. Someone with years of Service experience behind them would probably find these from-the-ground-up courses inappropriate. Private training can greatly reduce the time it takes for such a person to achieve the necessary plumbing skills. However, such training must still meet national standards throughout. A shorter course must not lead to a lower level of training.

Service leavers should look at training courses that are modular and can be tailored to individual skills and experience. People of the right calibre (discovered at the assessment stage) should find an intensive (possibly residential) training course of about three months sufficient to prepare them for plumbing employment or to launch their own business as an SVO or MVO. On-site experience should be part of the training course, as will be ongoing training once initial qualifications have been achieved.

Whatever your ability and chosen time-frame, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is vital. CPD should lead to the Level 3 qualification that is the recognised quality standard throughout the industry. Membership of the Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering will ensure your professional status and provide opportunities for ongoing CPD.

Qualifications

The industry standards for plumbers are Technical Certificates at Levels 2 and 3 and NVQs at Levels 2 and 3. Level 3 also provides qualifications in water regulations, unvented systems and energy saving.

Employment opportunities

When you have finished your training, there are several employment options. Ex-Service people have a reputation for being well trained, disciplined, committed and neat. In an industry where that cannot always be said of its workforce, you will appreciate that an ex-Service person with a plumbing qualification may be in demand.

However, those same qualities mean that many ex-Service people are well suited to self-employment – and that can be a welcome change after many years of following orders. It means setting yourself up in business, either through your own company or by investing in a franchise. Both options should be considered. While most employed plumbers earn between £20,000 and £25,000 a year, a self-employed plumber with vision and ambition has no limit.

The key is training and CPD, for you and for your staff. A private training course can be the route that enables Service leavers – with their skills, training and years of experience – to become the craftsmen and craftswomen of the new century.

For more information about training and franchise opportunities with the gas-elec group call 0800 587 0666 or go to www.aqua-lec.com