When you learn to become a plumber with one of our plumbing courses, you open up multiple opportunities to upskill your career and you can even progress into senior or managerial plumbing jobs through gaining transferable skills.
So, if you'd like to become a plumber but you're not sure whether it's right for you, we've put together the top 5 plumbing skills you will need to start a rewarding and exciting career as a plumbing engineer.
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If you want to become a plumber, there are several different pathways that can get you there. Options include:
- Completing a college course or apprenticeship
- Training 'on the job' while working as a plumber's mate
- Learning your new trade at a training centre
The best option for you will depend on your personal circumstances and your career aspirations.
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Thinking of becoming a plumber? Here's a preview of what an average working day might look like once you're qualified...
Plumbers tend to rise early in the morning, often completing the first job of the day before the nation's office workers have even switched on their computers. But while those office workers will be chained to their desks for the next eight hours, a professional plumber gets to spend the day travelling around, tackling a variety of tasks in all sorts of different workplaces.
What jobs do plumbers do?
The jobs that make up a plumber's average working day depend (to an extent) on whether that plumber is self employed or employed by someone else.
Self-employed plumbers
If you've decided to set up your own business and be your own boss, you're free to pick and choose what jobs you take on. In all likelihood, domestic plumbing repairs and installations will form the majority of the work you do.
Common jobs include:
- Stopping leaks and drips
- Unclogging drains
- Improving water pressure
- Installing new pipework
- Fitting bathrooms
- Repairing boilers*
*Note that plumbers must be Gas Safe registered in order to work on gas boilers.
Plumbers employed by somebody else
If you are employed by a commercial plumbing company, your typical working day will probably look a little different from that of a self-employed domestic plumber.
Yes, there will still be plenty of leaks to fix and drains to unblock, but you may also find yourself...
- Installing plumbing systems in new buildings
- Maintaining large-scale water supply / waste removal systems
- Carrying out work on public water mains
If you're not keen on the idea of spending lots of time in the van, zipping from one job to the next, then you might prefer a 'static' job that allows you to do all your work in one place. Many large businesses employ resident plumbers to carry out regular inspections and maintenance on the company's premises.
What hours do plumbers work?
Some plumbers work a standard nine-to-five, Monday-to-Friday week like everyone else. But there's a lot of extra money to be made if you're happy to work evenings and weekends. If your average customer is at work during the day, they'll probably want a plumber who is willing to pop by later on, when they're at home...or maybe on Saturday, when they've got the day off. And of course, some plumbing emergencies can't wait until the next weekday!
Self-employed plumbers have the freedom and the flexibility to choose their own timetable and work as many (or as few) hours as they wish. Plumbers in traditional employment usually - though not always - operate on a more rigid schedule. Both career paths have their benefits; once you've completed your training and got some professional plumbing qualifications under your belt, it will be up to you to decide which lifestyle suits you best.
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Further reading:
A UK engineer has created innovative new software to help plumbers with dyslexia, after he noticed a need for the product when aiding plumbers with heat-loss calculations. The software, called Heat Engineer, is designed to enable plumbers to work out calculations of heat-loss quickly and efficiently, without the need for external help.
Although this is hugely beneficial for plumbing as whole, the fact that it can be adapted especially for people who suffer from dyslexia means that it will not only improve and simplify the day-to-day lives of current tradespeople, but will also pave a more inviting pathway for the plumbers of the future. To help combat the difficulties experienced by plumbers with dyslexia, the app allows them to change the colour, size and font of the text, as well as other elements, allowing them to adapt it to fit their particular needs. This is a massive step forward not only for plumbing-specific technology, but for apps in general, as it directly combats a common difficulty that isn't often awarded much attention in mainstream culture.
Another encouraging aspect of this development, is that it has the potential to draw more people to the profession, due to the fact that they will not feel intimidated or held-back by their struggles with dyslexia. In fact, individuals with the problem can often find themselves thriving in a hands-on career such as plumbing, which means that the industry's talent pool will also be all the better for it.
At Access Training, we aim to take on a variety of candidates regardless of their background or experience level, an approach we believe is essential in ensuring that we create a compassionate and diverse pool of trade professionals. Our experienced tutors have years of professional experience, and are able to offer a flexible programme of work to suit the candidate's individual needs. Due to our student to tutor ratio, you will also be given the opportunity to have one-on-one supervision and guidance, which is ideal for candidates how may find some of the written aspects of the courses more complicated.
If you would like to become a plumber, and feel that Access Training's courses could be for you, then please feel free to get in touch with us today! As we mentioned previously, we are dedicated to providing a flexible service, and would be happy to discuss any concerns or requirements you may have.
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