Explaining Plumbing Apprenticeships - Where To Go

The figures explaining how much Plumbers can earn is often talked about in the papers. Figures of 30-70k p.a. are touted, alongside much talk of the profound shortage in the number of Plumbers within the UK. So, are we being told a story or is this the genuine picture? For the competent and correctly skilled person, this level of salary is realistic. Those taking the more conventional ways to work will find it hard to reach the incomes of 70-100k p.a. that are sometimes achieved by the self-employed.

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.

There is also the issue of self-employment itself - which definitely suits some people more than it suits others. This can include getting to grips with advertising & marketing, getting your own cost-per-hour correct and the need to learn and use good 'business' sense. Likewise self-employed people need to consider the implications of costs relating to materials and transport as well as legal and accountancy fees etc. These charges should always remain a small proportion of the overall income so that any profits created always outweigh them. And the benefits nearly always far outweigh the downsides!

Without a doubt Student Entrants are looking for companies who can offer them regular employment and thereby teach them from experience. Equally the Self Employed Entrant needs to increase their list of qualifications within a reasonable time frame. Having said that, the majority of self-employed workers do not join the business sector but focus on the 'domestic' market. (The majority do at the very 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.

At first, the Student Entrant does appear to depend much more on the NVQ structure than the Self Employed Entrant. In trying to meet their client's needs many Self Employed Entrants will employ a wider range of qualifications. In order to be able to meet the needs of the typical household, self-employed persons will need to rapidly gain key domestic-centred qualifications. Having covered off the key elements of training within the college, the Student Entrant usually then enters the apprenticeship stage within the workplace - where the NVQ element can be assessed. By using this cheaper form of study the Student Entrant can make sound financial savings from the outset. But the Self Employed Entrant will gain certifications faster (motivated by a more commercial viewpoint) and will therefore be achieving considerable financial reward long before the Student Entrant.

This shows the necessity of a clear careers discussion, covering the overall study and certification requirements alongside the required financial return. It would prove extremely difficult for an adult - requiring 20kp.a and having to look after their family - to go back to college and then spend 3 years in low-paid apprenticeship work. It should also be borne in mind that many young Student Entrants have their studies paid for them as part of their overall apprenticeships, whereas the self-employed student generally funds the course themselves. These costs (for self-employed status) can often end up around 3k-10k+, dependent upon the course structure and the level of certification sought.

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.

It is through the use of bonus courses that many plumbing students want to increase their 'marketability'. Areas such as Gas, Green Energy and Electrical training can offer additional qualifications to Plumbers. A typically popular route for Plumbers is Gas training, especially as this forms part of the usual commercial and domestic heating system.

It is with its main subjects, alongside added NVQ's, that result in Gas Training being viewed as a technical program. The opportunity for on-going training is for those who trained first as a plumber and are now seeking to add some extra skills to their repertoire. From this stance, the mature student is often more suited to a cross of Plumbing/Gas training. Indeed, the path for the Mature Student seems to be to drop the NVQ elements and to 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.

Author: Scott Edwards. Pop to www.OnlineCareerAdvice.co.uk/foncaad.html or Intensive Plumbing Courses.