Plumbing Courses for Your Move into a Rewarding New Career



Our Plumber Training School is based in Blandford forum Dorset

Head Office - Tel: 01258 489775 E-mail: plumbskill@btconnect.com

Plumbskill Plumbing Courses - Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. 
Do I need qualifications to work as a plumber, i.e. NVQ or City & Guilds?

A1.
No.  There is no legislation in force that says you need qualifications to work as a plumber.

Q2.
How do I get qualifications / where do I get the theory from?

A2.
We have reviewed many of the products available relating to the plumbing and heating theory aspects some of which are very good. They predominantly offer the same substance but vary considerably in price so you need to consider what you are getting for your money, the time it will take you to qualify and how much this will impinge on your working time. We would also advise you to be very aware of any hidden costs. A few of our students do go on to do FE plumbing courses or distance learning to gain the formal qualification but in practice we find the majority realise they don't actually need it (unless you want to do site work) and are in any case too busy working full time as plumbers.

Q3. 
When can I expect to start work as a plumber?

A3.
On completion of one of the Plumbskill practical plumbing courses you can start work straight away.  Obviously we would advise you to start off with smaller jobs to enable you to gain confidence and improve on your skills. 

Q4.
How do I get started when I finish the plumbing course?

A4.
We can advise you on the many approaches and techniques to use to target your audience. We have an extensive list of thought provoking ideas for you to apply. 

Q5.       
How much can I earn?

A5.
There is no set answer.  The  Institute of  Plumbing says that the average wage for a plumber is £40,000 per year.  There are stories circulating of plumbers earning £100,000 per year.  We would recommend you charge £15 to £20 per hour to start with until you improve on your plumbing skills, confidence and speed.  Then slowly increase your charges.  If you overcharge you will not get any more work from that customer.  Also you will not be recommended to other people, which you will need to rely on. 

Home | ToolKit | FAQs | Plumbing Courses - Syllabus | Student Feedback
Plumbing Courses - Fees | Plumbing Courses - How To Apply | Accommodation | To Find Us

Q6.
What do your fees include?

A6.
Apart from covering the fixed costs and overheads of running the centre, you will use a vast amount of plumbing materials. Copper tube, fittings and other materials have to be readily available to each student.  Obviously we teach you to try to keep waste to a minimum as an essential part of your training to be a competent and successful plumber. At the same time, this course is the ideal opportunity for you to perfect your bending, soldering and other plumbing techniques. We realise this and ensure you have the supply of materials you need to make your mistakes (you will!) and then learn how to correct them. Also we are continually adding to and updating the equipment that you can work on, namely boilers, showers, bathroom suites and hot water systems.

Recommened books- For more in depth theory we recommend you purchase R.D. Treloar, Plumbing: Heating and Gas Installations [Blackwell] or for those considering going on to do the NVQ route we recommend the official NVQ and Technical Certificatestexts: Plumbing. A Practical Guide for Level 2 by Boyce & Masterman [Endorsed by City & Guilds] and Plumbing NVQ and Technical Certificate Level 2 by Pheonix and Thompson (JTL) [Heinemann]. These are all available at reasonable cost from www.amazon.co.uk >> 

Q7.
What do I get on completion of the course?

A7.
Apart from the skills and confidence to go out and start earning good money as a plumber immediately - if you successfully complete the syllabus - you will receive the Plumbskill Certificate of Training, plus your Job Progress Report listing all plumbing operations that you have completed. Also for those who have chosen to build their NVQ Portfolio of Evidence, this is authorised for you as well.

Q8.
What happens when I leave the course ? - am I on my own?

A8.
No, you are not on your own. Many of our students keep in regular contact with us and each other. They inform us of how they are progressing and often ask for advice which we gladly give. We also have in place an Ex Student Support Networkwhere those who choose to be involved join The Plumbskill Centre Forum which is an online chat room of people who have successfully completed one of the plumbing courses. You will be sent details of how to log on to this at the end of the course.

The reason for this is that we are all at different levels in our plumbing career and all need to ask questions / seek advice from time to time. The ex student network enables a sense of ‘after sales service’ if you like. A chance for you to keep in contact with colleagues and others who have recently gone through the same course and so you don’t feel alienated when you leave. Through the forum you can share:

• Experiences
• Ask questions
• Answer one another's queries
• Offer your support and encouragement
• Give and seek advice
• Discuss Topics
• Problem solving and how to enquiries
• Techniques learnt from various situations encountered
• Suggested improvement ideas etc
• Or even team up with any ex students in your area to refer work to each other etc etc

Plumbing Courses for Your Move into a Rewarding New Career

We offer 2 plumbing courses:

A 2 week Practical Plumbing and Heating Course*
A 1 week Domestic Plumbing Short Course

Home | ToolKit | FAQs | Plumbing Courses - Syllabus | Student Feedback
Plumbing Courses - Fees | Plumbing Courses - How To Apply | Accommodation | To Find Us

Specialist Tiling and Plastering Courses (1 or 2 week) are also offered by Plumbskill Tiling Centre situated within The Plumbskill Centre. tiling courses can be booked to run consecutively with our course for convenience.

Contact Information

Telephone: 01258 489775
Fax: 01258 489776

Head Office Postal address:
The Plumbskill Centre Ltd, Unit 5, Langton lodge farm, Black lane, Blandford forum, Dorset, DT11 8SJ

E-mail: plumbskill@btconnect.com