As our most recent summer fades away, the days are getting shorter and colder and we start the dreaded march into frosty mornings and pitch-black evenings. Not to mention those pesky heating bills that sky-rocket as soon as it hits September...
...Or is that really the case? A
recent survey conducted by home heating oil specialists Emo Oil has revealed that central heating is actually used constantly throughout the summer, with households turning it up as soon as the evening chill arrives.
More...
The search for the 2016 UK plumber of the year is on, but who will become this year’s winner? Let’s take a closer look at the competition and who has been nominated. More...
So you've decided that you would like to be a plumber, you've taken a quick look at the courses that we have to offer, and you've decided on the course that's most suited to you and the level of qualification you think you may require. But let us take a moment and explain to you in more detail what qualifications you need to fulfil your ambition and become a fully qualified plumber.
The minimum qualification that you need to become a plumber is the City & Guilds 6035 Level 2 Diploma in Domestic Plumbing. This qualification allows you carry out various domestic jobs, such as fixing taps, unclogging pipes, etc. If you complete our Essential Plumbing Course then you will gain this qualification. The City & Guilds 6035 is ideal if you are just entering the plumbing industry and would like to work alongside or become a domestic plumber.
If you would like to work on a large building site, or for a larger plumbing firm (e.g. British Gas or AA), you will first need to earn your NVQ Level 2. If you have no prior experience in the plumbing industry, don’t worry. Here at Access Training, we have developed two courses that are designed specifically for the absolute beginner - we'll train you up to become a fully qualified plumber in next to no time!
Professional Plumbing Course
Our Professional Plumbing Course will help you gain 4 industry-recognised qualifications:
- City & Guilds 6035 Level 2 Plumbing
- City & Guilds 6189-57 Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Plumbing and Heating
- Unvented Hot Water Storage Systems Certificate
- WRAS (Water Regulations Advisory Scheme) Certificate
These qualifications will allow you to enter the plumbing industry with a varied skill set, allowing you take on a variety of work. In addition to completing jobs for domestic clients, you will also be qualified to work on larger sites and for large plumbing companies, such as British Gas.
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Premier Plumbing Course
Our Premier Plumbing Course is Access Training's most comprehensive course for aspiring plumbers. If you wish to become a fully-qualified plumber, we advise you to enrol in this course.
If you complete this course, you will not only become a skilled plumber, you will also become a qualified gas engineer. Our Premier course includes the following qualifications:
- City & Guilds 6035 Level 2 Plumbing
- City & Guilds 6189-57 Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Plumbing and Heating
- Unvented Hot Water Storage Systems Certificate
- WRAS Certificate
- Part P Domestic Electrical Installer
- ACS Gas Certificate
View Premier Course >
Entering the plumbing industry with these qualifications will set you apart from the competition, either in a job interview or if you decide to embark on a career as a self-employed plumber.
If you are already working as a plumber (maybe you have taken our Essential Plumbing Course or completed some work experience with an employer) then you can also undertake you NVQ Level 2 through Access Training.
If you are interested in becoming a fully qualified plumber, get in touch now to discuss your options with Access Training.
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Online learning now available - click here to learn more!
A new book recently released entitled “My Mummy is a plumber” encourages young children to start thinking about a career in plumbing. This book published by butterfly books, in collaboration with the UK’s accreditation scheme for plumbers – watersafe. Not only does it aim to reduce the current skill gap by encouraging young people to learn a trade, it also encourages girls to consider a career in trade.
Even though these books are a brilliant idea and we really think that they will help get children interested in trade work in the future, these books are aimed at children who are between the ages of 3 and 7. So, unfortunately, they do not help the close the skill gap that we are presently experiencing.
Not only does a career in plumbing need to be encouraged to young children to ensure that the skills are not lost to an ageing population, a career in plumbing, its benefits and how people can enrol onto plumbing courses through training centres, needs to be promoted to people who are aged 18 and above, so that the present skills gap can be decreased.
To help bridge the gap, we offer a wide range of plumbing courses for people who are over the age of 18. Access Training’s plumbing courses are so popular because they have been specially developed for students who have no prior experience or knowledge about plumbing and work with them so they can gain relevant, and industry recognised qualifications, such as City & Guilds awards and NVQ diplomas.
In our state-of-the-art training centres we aim to emulate real life situations, so our students leave our courses confident that they can tackle any domestic plumbing issue presented to them. Because our students leave our courses fully competent plumbers it is easy for them to find jobs working for an already established plumbing firm, or set themselves up as a self-employed plumber.
So if you fancy a new challenge and always fancied a trade career, enrolling onto one of plumbing courses couldn’t be easier. Simply get in touch with us either by phoning us on 0800 345 7492 or fill out our contact form, and a member of our team will get back to you.
Here at Access training we provide a number of plumbing courses in Kent that have been tailor-made for people who are looking to change their career. All of our courses are perfect for the absolute beginner, through to people who are industry professionals who are looking to expand their skill –set.
We know that you are all living busy lives, and changing your career path, especially when you have no prior experience can be a scary prospect. Here, at access training, we aim to make the transition as smooth as possible; we work tirelessly with our students and teach them everything that they need to know to become a fully qualified plumber in the shortest time possible.
If you are living in Kent, or living near Kent, you can train to be a plumber at our state-of-the-art training centre located in Edenbridge, a quick 30 minutes’ drive from Tunbridge Wells.
If you are not currently living in the Kent area, we provide a range of appealing accommodation packages. It’s a good idea to stay near the training centre for the duration of your course as it is imperative that you arrive on time every day. Furthermore, some of our plumbing courses require you to read in the evenings and prepare for the next day. Straying away from your family and friends will minimise distractions allowing for you to complete your course quicker. Click here for more information about accommodation packages we offer in the Kent area.
Finally, all of our plumbing courses and training centres are accredited by City & Guilds, NVQ, and Logic. And our plumbing courses in our Kent training centre are no exception. So when you enrol on a plumbing course in our Kent training Centre, you can be confident that you will receive the highest training, and receive a nationally recognised qualification.
If you would like more information about the plumbing courses we offer in Kent, and all of our UK based training Centres. You can contact us by telephoning us on 0800 345 7492 or you can fill out an enquiry form here and a member of our team will get back to you.
This year, the United Kingdom has been facing its biggest skills shortage for a generation. There are huge talent gaps across a number of professions, including bricklaying and plumbing.
The scarcity of plumbers is now having large repercussions as we enter the winter months; not only are a number of construction firms having to cancel or delay new projects, a number of private firms are finding themselves unable to cope with the increased demand for plumbing maintenance and repair this winter. The country’s shortage of plumbers (combined with the increase in sick leave that’s to be expected at this time of year) is leaving older/vulnerable people without heating and hot water for extended periods of time.
In Sunderland this week, a diabetic pensioner went for 40 hours without heating or hot water because an emergency repair team was unable to cope with demand. It is reported that they had 10 emergency plumbers that were supposed to be working over the weekend; however, seven of the ten plumbers were off because of illness. This is not an isolated case, nor is it a regional shortage. This scenario is common throughout the whole of the United Kingdom.
The current skills shortage means that people who are willing to gain the skills to become a qualified plumber are getting heavily rewarded for their work. Fully qualified plumbers can earn between £1,200 and £1,800 a week, and because of the skills shortage, there is no shortage of work available. In short: there has never been a better time to enrol on a plumbing training course and gain the qualifications needed to become a professional plumber.
We at Access Training offer a large variety of trade training courses, from plumbing courses for people who have no or limited plumbing experience through to courses designed for professional plumbers looking to refresh their knowledge or to gain extra skills.
So, no matter where you live, what your circumstances are, or what your experience level is, we are confident that we have the perfect course for you.
Click here to view our plumbing training courses.