Plumber

Entry Requirements:

You can get into this job through:

• a college course
• an apprenticeship
• working towards this role
• applying directly

Entry requirements:

College

You could complete a college course which may help you to find a trainee position with a plumbing company.

Courses include:

• plumbing studies
• plumbing and domestic heating
• T Level in Building Services Engineering for Construction

Entry requirements:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

Apprenticeship

You can apply to do a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship to learn the skills needed to become a plumber. Apprenticeships include:

• Plumbing and Domestic Heating Technician
• Building Services Engineering
• Gas Engineering Operative

You could also do a Low Carbon Heating Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, if you want to become a heat pump engineer .

Entry requirements:

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Work

You may be able to start as a plumber's assistant or 'mate' and train on the job to qualify.

You'll usually need some GCSEs, including English and maths, along with good practical skills.

DirectApplication

You could apply directly for jobs if you've got qualifications and several years' experience from related industries, like building services or heating and ventilation engineering.

Required Skills:

Digital skills : to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Skills:

• the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
• knowledge of building and construction
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• knowledge of maths
• the ability to work well with others
• the ability to use your initiative
• the ability to work well with your hands
• customer service skills
• physical skills like movement, coordination, dexterity and grace
• the ability to repair machines or systems
• leadership skills
• design skills and knowledge
• persistence and determination
• the ability to work on your own
• thinking and reasoning skills
• excellent verbal communication skills
• the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
• active listening skills
• the ability to analyse quality or performance
• the ability to use your judgement and make decisions

What you'll do:

Plumbers install and repair water and heating systems in residential households and commercial properties.

As a plumber, you'll:

• install and repair water, heating and drainage systems
• cut, shape and join pipes and fittings
• service gas and oil-fired central heating systems and radiators
• respond to emergency call-outs, like broken boilers or blocked drains
• fit weather-proof materials and flashings to roofs, chimneys and walls

Possible green job

This job could help the environment.

For a plumber to be a green job, you could:

• install solar powered hot water systems
• replace old copper piping and joints with recyclable components
• fit heat pumps in households to reduce reliance on fossil fuels

Find out more about green careers

Location : You could work at a client's home, at a client's business or on a construction site.
Environment : Your working environment may be cramped, at height and outdoors some of the time.

Salary:

Starter : £21,000
Experienced : £40,000

These figures are a guide

Working hours:

37 - 42 hours a week

Working Pattern is evenings / weekends / bank holidays as customers demand

Career Path:

With experience, you could:

• do further training to become a heat pump engineer
• work with ventilation and air-conditioning systems, or renewable energy technologies like solar powered heating
• get certified with the Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC)
• become a master plumber or move into building services engineering
• teach and assess trainee plumbers in a further education (FE) college or training centre.

Find out more about working in FE from Teach in further education .