Insights On Plumbing Training

The press have often expressed how much Plumbers can earn in the UK. Salaries of 30-70k p.a. are often discussed, along with the lack of plumbers within the UK. So, is this the truth of the matter, or are we being lied to? To be certain, for the correctly qualified and experienced plumber, this level of salary is achievable and indeed attainable. In fact, earnings in excess of 70 – 100k p.a. are achievable – but that is solely for those who work within the self-employed market-place, rather than those who work within established employment routes.

However, working for regular employers often results in the typical hours of Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm. From UK companies comes the standard reward such as holiday pay and sickness allowance and a potential wage of between 15k and 30k p.a. The self-employed person can generally achieve higher incomes than those available from the traditional approach, but would need to consider working ‘out of hours’ – and probably longer than the typical 9am-6pm Mon-Fri model. This is more common in the domestic market where self employed plumbers often have to work evenings and weekends to suit those clients that work during the week.

Also there is the factor of self-employment and whether it goes with some people more than others. Finally there is good ‘business sense’, such as getting the hourly rate correct, advertising and marketing budgets spot on which are all important. Similarly, to cover additional elements such as legal and accountancy fees and materials and transport, will require the planning of most self-employed people. Whilst it is expected that the benefits will be high, the costs can mount up though they should always remain a small part of the income overall. Added to that, the positives virtually always outstrip the negatives!

Firstly, it is the ordinary employer who covers most of the needs and teaching prospects that Student Entrants are interested in. As quickly as possible the Self Employed Entrant needs to increase their list of accreditations that they will rely upon. That noted the main drive of self-employed workers is towards the ‘domestic’ market and not that of the commercial sector. (Well the majority do at least)

The certification units, needed by each part of the industry keeps a similarity in terms of Plumbing education. Without a doubt the issue of NVQ’s (SVQ’s in Scotland) raises a constant concern as to the way forward.

Without a doubt, it is the greater dependence on the NVQ element that separates the Student Entrant from the Self Employed Entrant. The Self Employed Entrant will often call upon a wider range of certifications right from the outset; in order to satisfy their perceived client’s requirements. The self employed person needs to consider the wishes of their household clients and use the relative domestic-centred qualifications to satisfy them. In a similar way to an apprenticeship the Student Entrant will, once the core learning tools have been learned, enter the workplace and be able to carry on the NVQ element of their study. The Student Entrant can also make financial savings at the start, as it is a cheaper form of study overall. However, in relation to the Student Entrant the Self Employed Entrant will gain certifications faster and therefore achieve substantial financial gains in the long term.

Clearly this illustrates the need for a careers discussion that covers certifications and study alongside those of financial returns. It would generate serious hardship, for example, for an adult requiring 20k p.a. (to provide for their family,) to go back to college and spend 3 years in low-paid apprenticeship work. Furthermore, many Student Entrants have their studies paid for them whereas the self-employed students fund the variety of course themselves. These courses can run between 3k through to 10k+, depending upon the course and level of certification required and that is something that people need to consider.

For the most part, Student Entrants will study at recognised further-education colleges, whereas the Self Employed Entrant has the option to consider the wider range of private commercial schools. Certain plumbing training companies deliver the accepted skill-sets and qualifications providing the basis for education. One of the main advantages of this method is the opportunity for evening, part-time, and self-study classes – allowing Self Employed Entrants to train whilst continuing with their existing job, thus maintaining their financial situation. With the high number of colleges it makes sense to gather as much technical data as you can. We’ve provided links and adverts from several, so why not book-mark this page (CTRL-D) so you can come back later to review your options.

To increase their ‘marketability’ many plumbing students will go on to utilise extra courses. Courses in areas such as Gas, Electrical and Green Energy can provide added certifications. One of the most popular routes for Plumbers has always been Gas training, as this forms part of the typical domestic and commercial heating system.

Gas Training, with subjects followed by a focus on NVQ’s is recognised as an accurate and exact training program. For those who trained as a plumber these schemes offer many options for further development and can clearly seen to add additional skills to the table. It could be said, from that viewpoint, that a hybrid of Plumbing/Gas training would be more suited to the mature student. By reducing the NVQ parts the Mature Student appears to be able to allow the focus on the core subjects.

It is this blend of training that would appear to satisfy the needs of the self-employed professional. The opportunity to earn money whilst at the same time gain a wider range of skills is certainly part of the attraction. It is by removing the reliability on third party sub-contraction that results in the increase of the industrial package. Sub-contracting can not only reduce the earning potential of a job, but also erode the value in the customer’s eye, as they may have to wait for key stages to be handled by someone else before the final completion of the job. To be fair the more talent a Plumber has in their own job then the more they have to offer their client base.

It is by working at their broader range of certifications alongside business skills that Self Employed Entrants can achieve much higher income streams that their Student Entrant counterparts. Note: This information refers to the UK industry requirement and their policies alone.

Written by Scott Edwards. Browse around Intensive Plumbing Courses or CLICK HERE.

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