What a year it’s been! The Covid 19 pandemic has affected us all and many peoples’ lives have changed dramatically, with a large number of jobs no longer offering a solid future, at least in the short term. Retraining in a trade such as plumbing could be a good option – it’s an in-demand profession that can provide a gateway into other areas of building services.
Have you thought about re-training as a plumber?
The Government’s commitment to increase housing stock in the UK is evident all around us, with other schemes, such as the Green Homes Grant, adding impetus to the need for trades people. There will always be work for plumbers and there’s a lot to be said for this rewarding career.
Top 5 reasons for becoming a plumber
- Good salary. Plumbers can earn around £30,000 a year – if you’re self-employed and work towards running your own business, the sky’s the limit!
- It’s a job for life. Even in an economic downturn the demand for plumbers is high.
- It’s interesting. There are lots of areas to specialise in and evolving technology keeps you on your toes. Plumbing is a great first-step towards becoming a gas installer or renewable technologies like solar thermal.
- It’s a sociable job. You interact with others working on big projects and get to build up a loyal customer base.
- You can work anywhere. It’s a portable skill so you can set up wherever you want.
How do you retrain as a plumber?
How you retrain as a plumber depends on your experience. If you already work in the building trade, for example, the switch-over can be pretty straightforward. Plumbing qualifications are also available for gas installers and other heating engineers looking to top-up or refresh their skills.
You will need to take some specialist training to ensure you’re up to date with the latest regulations and guidance. We can help with that, with a range of domestic water and plumbing courses recognised by CIPHE (Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineers.)
Check out our plumbing courses, here.
Starting from scratch
If you’ve no experience in plumbing, you’ll need to sign up for a beginners plumbing course that covers all the necessary qualifications, or an apprenticeship which will lead to a NVQ Level 2 or 3 in plumbing.
Through a plumbing apprenticeship, you’ll gain the practical and theoretical training required to ensure you can competently carry out work relating to the installation, maintenance, commissioning and servicing of domestic plumbing systems. Training includes work with an employer and classroom based learning.
Taking around two years, plumbing apprentices often walk straight into employment.
There’s no longer an upper age limit on apprenticeships, so if you fancy learning directly on the job, working alongside a real professional, this might be just what you’re looking for.
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