Stay warm and dry and keep your head above the water! We take a look at careers in the plumbing and heating industry.

Knowledge of the industry and an understanding of technical drawings are important skills in the plumbing and heating trade, so grades A*-C in maths, science and engineering would be beneficial choices at GCSE level, if you want to be a plumber.

Plumbing apprenticeships

Knowledge of the industry and an understanding of technical drawings are important skills in the plumbing and heating trade, so grades A*-C in maths, science and engineering would be beneficial choices at GCSE level, if you want to be a plumber.

Plumbing courses

Some colleges offer Level 2 courses which combine apprenticeships and work experience in the plumbing and heating industry. These courses cover topics like health and safety, tool maintenance, reading and constructing drawings and plans, pipework-joining techniques and metal frame manufacturing. For more info go to: www.ciphe.org.uk/

City & Guilds offer a variety of courses including Level 2 NVQs in Plumbing and Domestic Heating, Plumbing Studies, Heating and many more.

After you’ve qualified

You might want to specialise in domestic appliance repair or work in the building services once you’ve trained and qualified as a plumber. Once you are working as a domestic plumber or heating engineer, it’s recommended that you join professional institutions such as the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) or WaterSafe. They use the Register of Plumbers (RP) and Register of Heating Professionals (RHP) and customers can use these companies to check up on plumbers job qualifications. You have to pay a fee to join but doing so can increase your business potential and gives you financial benefits such as trade discounts on tools and machinery. Anyone who is interested in a career in domestic plumbing and heating should definitely look into joining one of these industry bodies.

Hours and wages

Domestic plumbers work around 40 hours a week and newly qualified plumbers earn around £18,000 a year. After gaining experience in the plumbing and heating trade, they can expect to earn up to £35,000 a year.

Self-employment

Self-employed plumbers set their own hours and those offering a 24-hour service will have to commit to working in the evenings and at weekends. The recommended qualifications for this career are the Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Installing and Maintaining Domestic Heating Systems and the Level 2 to 3 NVQ Diploma in Domestic Plumbing and Heating, as well as hands-on experience gained through an apprenticeship. Through doing this, you’ll have well-developed practical and problem-solving skills, an organised approach to your work and excellent customer care and communication skills. Plumbers with a minimum of five years’ experience are advised by WaterSafe to take the BPEC WaterSafe Experienced Plumber course, to encourage exceptional ability.

Gas technicians

Gas service technicians work an average 35-40 hour week and can expect to earn around £15,000 a year at apprenticeship level and up to £25,000 to £30,000 when qualified (not including overtime and bonus shifts). To become fully qualified, gas technicians need a Gas Safe registration and a Level 3 NVQ in Domestic Natural Gas Installation and Maintenance, a Level 3 Diploma in Gas Utilisation or a Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Domestic Plumbing and Heating.

To broaden the different kinds of appliances you can work on and so improve potential business, gas technicians can be assessed through the Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS). Examples of assessments include: Core Domestic Gas Safety (CCN1) which is compulsory, Central Heating Boilers & Water Heaters (CENWAT) and Warm Air Heaters (DAH1). Qualities needed for this career include good practical ability and well-developed organisational, communication and problem-solving skills, as well as basic IT and maths skills for calculating and working out dimensions. Constant awareness of plumbing and heating industry regulations and guidelines are essential to ensure safe working practice.

Career pathways

Although domestic plumbing and heating are the most popular options in the industry, the career paths available in this sector are diverse and varied. Building services engineers install heating, ventilation and water systems in large office buildings and shops and can earn £20,000 as a starting salary, up to £45,000 as a senior engineer. In this job you will be expected to draw up plans using computers, estimate and budget costs and ensure health and safety requirements are met. Similar to most jobs in the plumbing and heating industry, good communication and problem-solving skills are needed, as well as adaptability, good organisational skills and decisiveness. For more info on plumbing and heating jobs, go to our page on careers in Construction.