A guide to Plumbing Apprenticeships in the UK

If you're thinking if plumbing is a career for you then you should know by now that plumbing is a very rewarding career for those that choose it.

Being a plumber is a very rewarding career financially and (once fully trained) one of the few true 'Jobs for Life' that are left.

It also gives you options. For example, you could become employed for a plumbing company, you could do contract work on large projects or become self-employed and be your own boss!

And because of the high demand for plumbing skills you could even emigrate to more sunnier climes! Places like Canada (Ok, that's not too sunny!), Australia and New Zealand have open door skilled migration policies for people with these skills.
Furthermore, once you're qualified, you are a skilled worker and nobody can take that away from you.

So you're sold, you want to be a plumber, but how do you go about becoming one?

Well, one option (and probably the best one if you're just out of school) is a plumbing apprenticeship. An apprenticeship is the traditional way in which people would learn their craft whether they are plumbers, carpenters, electricians etc...

Earn while you Learn with an Apprenticeship

An apprenticeship would usually last up to 2 to 4 years, during which your time is spent between the classroom of your local training college where you would learn the technical theory of plumbing and out on the job where you would work alongside an experienced plumber being shown a lifetimes worth of practical knowledge that cannot be taught with a textbook.

Along with being taught the practical skills, being around an experienced plumber for this length of time you will get to know a network of tradesmen and construction workers in your area, and that makes getting work in the future that much easier.

In regards to what you'll be earning during the course of your apprenticeship, you would be paid a basic salary of at least £95 per week(often more that this). Because while there is no fixed rate of pay for people on apprenticeships, all employed apprentices must receive a wage of at least £2.60 per hour.

At the end of your apprenticeship you would be a fully experienced plumber and have an NVQ Level 3 to show for it.

How to get on an Apprenticeship Scheme?

There are no formal entry qualifications to start an apprenticeship. However, applicants are normally be aged between 16 and 24 and have normal colour vision. If you are over the age of 24 you may struggle to get on an apprenticeship scheme. There are a limited number of spaces per year and competition for them is fierce.

A good idea is to ring your local plumbing firms (or even your local plumber) and ask if they would be interested in taking on an apprentice, you may get lucky!

To find out more about plumbing apprenticeships, including how to apply, call the government’s free National Apprenticeships Help line.

Apprenticeships help line: 08000 150 600

Alternatively, visit the Apprenticeships web site. You can get further information and request an information pack.
http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/

Found a nice video here, giving an insight into apprentices day to day work and training activities.

In addition, if you find you cannot get on an apprenticeship scheme for one reason or another you have other options; you could consider an intensive plumbing training course: plumbing courses which are available throughout the UK.

Good Luck!