One thing they don’t teach you during plumber training is how to overcome the plumber stereotypes prevalent in British society. No matter how much plumber training you have undergone, no matter how hard you have worked or how considerate, cost-effective and industrious you are – chances are you’re going to be put in a little box marked “Inconsiderate, over-priced, lazy rip-off merchant’!

A new study has shown that British preconceptions of plumbers are not shifting – in fact they are stagnating. The survey asked homeowners a series of questions to gauge their attitude to those in the plumbing industry. The findings were pretty disappointing – especially in the 21st Century when stereotyping of any kind is out-dated and narrow-minded.

Only one in eight of those polled believed that plumbing training creates highly qualified professionals. Meanwhile, only one in six women said that they viewed plumbers as polite and 15% of respondents said that, yes, they still associated plumbers with an unsightly builders’ bum.

This research might be disheartening, but other facts revealed during the study are actually very good news for those embarking on plumbing training courses. For starters, the vast majority of those asked claimed that they had absolutely no idea how to fix basic plumbing issues in their homes. The need for plumbers, therefore, is great and no matter what preconceptions the public might have of those in the plumbing business, there is plenty of opportunity to change their minds!

If you’d like to be that plumber who challenges stereotypes and offers a great service which is of real value to clients, Access offer the plumbing training necessary to prepare you for a life in the plumbing profession. We offer flexible, thorough plumbing training courses to help you start your journey into a bright future. Call today for more information on 0800 345 7492.

A Norwegian resident has received a Christmas gift which would appear very close to the top of many plumber training students’ Christmas lists. Thanks to some careless plumbing work, Ms Gundersen of Kristiansund, West Norway, struck liquid gold when she turned on her taps only to find beer flowing generously through.

It seems maybe the standard of plumber training in Norway is not quite as high as it is here at Access, as a hapless plumber who had been called in to fix a leak, accidentally connected a beer barrel from the pub two floors below her apartment to Ms Gundersen’s water supply.

Needless to say, there were one or two unhappy faces in the Big Tower Bar downstairs, when they saw nothing but Ms Gundersen’s dish water flowing into their pint glasses.

Ms Gundersen told local news reporters: I turned on the tap to clean some knives and forks, and beer came out. We thought we were in heaven, although the beer was a little flat.”

The true joy of this plumbing training error was heightened by the fact that in Norway, the sale of alcohol is controlled by a state monopoly, with the price of a pint the highest anywhere in the world, close to 20 Euros a pint. This really was liquid gold!

Egil Myrvang, the local beer distributor, added: “The water and beer pipes do touch each other, but you have to be really creative to connect them together.”

However, Ms Gundersen bore no grudge after the incident, instead quipping that if it should happen again, she’d probably prefer a Baileys!

We hope this merry little tale of mishaps, beer and plumber training has left you in the mood to spread some Christmas cheer. For further plumber training information please browse the wide range of industry recognised plumber training courses on our site, or call 0800 345 7492.