Develop your plumbing skills today, for a better tomorrow

Do you want to change your Career Direction?

We offer an intensive 4 weeks of training in plumbing and business development which will enable you to set up as a plumber with qualifications from City & Guilds, and BPEC.

It might sound like an exaggerated claim but we believe that our four week Career Changer course will enable you to do just that, start a new career in Plumbing.

At the beginning of the course we will issue you with your own Professional Plumbers tool kit, these tools are yours to keep and take away at the end of the course. We provide high quality, branded, professional tools in all of our kits - not cheap rubbish. You will be using these tools extensively during the four weeks of the course, but we also expect them to give you years of service long after the course is completed.

We will register you with City & Guilds for the 6022 Copper Tube Installation and 6032 Sanitarywear Allocation, Installation, Maintenance & Design qualifications. If you successfully complete the assessments as part of the course then you will be awarded the qualifications by City & Guilds - these are industry recognised qualifications.

We will also issue you with a BPEC Water Regulations and Bylaws 1999 Training Manual, during the course we will cover the theory part of the manual but you are also advised to study it in your own time. On the third Friday of the course there will be an assessment of your knowledge and understanding of the Water Regulations and Bylaws 1999. If you pass the assessment you will be issued a certificate and competency card by BPEC.

With the Career Changer course we start out by covering the basics for the first two days, this includes;

  • Health and Safety, learning to work safely
  • Introduction to your personal tool kit
  • Introduction to the WRAS Water Regulations and Bylaws 1999
  • Basics of hot and cold water supply in domestic properties
  • Theory & practical for techniques to join pipes including;
    • Soldering using end-feed and Yorkshire fittings
    • Compression fittings
    • Plastic push fit systems (including Hep20)
    • Solvent weld waste pipe systems
  • Theory & practical for techniques for form pipes including;
    • Use of your pipe benders
    • Use of bending springs

As part of these two days you will be expected to complete three test pieces which will demonstrate your developing skills. All three pieces will be pressure tested to 4 Bar (60 psi).

All of the training modules that you complete as part of the course as signed off (if you achieve the correct level of competence) and build into a detailed porfolio of your skills and experiences. This record of your work can be used to provide evidence of your competence.

Having grasped the basics, the next six days are spent building upon and developing your skills by having you complete a series of typical plumbing tasks, under the watch full eye of our instructor. During the completion of these tasks you will have many opportunities to practice the skills learnt during the first two days, in addition many aspects of theory will be introduced as you work on the tasks. The 'typical plumbing tasks' that you will be asked to complete include;

  • Running hot and cold water supplies
  • Draining down a domestic water system (both hot & cold)
  • Decommissioning and installing a bathroom suite
  • Decommissioning and installing a vented hot water cylinder
  • Decommissioning and installing radiators, valves, CH pump, 3-port/zone valves, CH controllers and thermostats
  • Decommissioning and installing a shower tray
  • Decommissioning and installing a toilet and wash basin
  • Repair taps, re-washer and grinding seats
  • Install an out-side tap

During the completion of the above tasks you will be asked to complete a 'personal time sheet', this is to give you an idea of how long it takes for you to complete specific tasks, the information will be useful during the last two weeks of the course when you have to provide an estimate for each project that you attempt.

At the end of the second week, ie on days 9 and 10, we introduce you to Tiling, including;

  • Basics, types of materials including; tiles, adhesives, grouts, sealants and edging strips
  • Surface preparation
  • Design of layouts and calculations of materials required
  • Setting out lines and levels
  • Fixing tiles and grouting

The final two weeks of the Career Changer course have been designed to simulate a real working environment and you will be expected to complete at least two projects to a professional finish, including a realistic quote for the work - based upon estimates of time and materials. The range of projects you can complete include;

  • Decommissioning a bathroom suite, removing the old tiles, re-tiling and then installing a new suite to a professional standard
  • Draining down the water and heating system, decommissioning a hot water cylinder, installing a new cylinder, refilling and testing the heating system. (This task can also include replacing the attic tanks if desired)
  • Decommissioning a shower valve and tray, removing the old tiles, re-tiling and installing a new valve and tray
  • Decommissioning and then installing a kitchen sink with associated pipe work for a washing machine and dishwasher, with all associated waste pipes
  • Decommission a heating system (but not the boiler) and then re-build with; CH pump, control valves, controllers & wiring, radiators and associated pipe work
  • Decommission cloak room suite, remove old tiles, re-tile and then install new cloak room suite

In addition to the very practical tasks you will be completing on the course, there are also many theoretical aspects of plumbing that need to be covered during the course, as we believe that is essential to understand not only how, but why specific tasks are undertaken. To ensure that the theory is well understood and can be applied to your practical work, most mornings start with a theory workshop from 08:30 for approximately 30 to 40 minutes. A partial list of the theory topics covered during these workshops includes;

  • Domestic hot & cold water supplies
  • Backflow & water contamination
  • Pipe sizes / requirements, insulation requirements
  • Earth Bonding
  • Hot water cylinders
  • Toilets, cisterns & drainage
  • Central Heating components and design
  • Central Heating controls
  • Shower design and installation

Having a good understanding of plumbing theory, and the practical experience to back it up is only part of the skill set you will require to become a successful plumber. In addition to these skills you will also need to be a competent business individual, helping you to develop you business skills is one of the key objectives of this course.

  • How to define and market your business using proven techniques
  • How to win jobs
  • How to cost a job and not end up out of pocket
  • Career development
  • What to buy and where to buy it from
  • Dealing with banks
  • Taxation and basic accounts
  • Me and my van - ie what stock to carry
  • Insurance

The objectives of the Career Changer course are to provide you with the very best learning experience possible, so that on completion of the course you will be confident and competent to start a career in plumbing. To achieve these objectives we combine plumbing theory, plumbing practical and the development of your business skills into our four week course.

The Career Changer course starts on a Monday and runs for four weeks. The course hours are 08:30 - 17:30 (ish)

The total cost of the course, including all materials used, your registration/certification fees and your Professional Plumbers tool kit is £2995 + VAT (£3519.12). A deposit of £400.00 is required to reserve a place on the Career Changer course.

You might also be eligible for a Career Development Loan as are a registered learning provider with the Learning & Skills Council (LSC). Our LSC provider number is 20020, form more information on the Career Development Loans please see the link below; 

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/CareerDevelopmentLoans/index.htm

Please see the Plumbing Courses page for dates and more information, or to book a place, contact Jim on 0785 212 5797, or 01628 822998, or email jim@plumber-training.com