want to become a plumber? read this!
How to Become a Plumber
There are a few different routes to becoming a qualified plumber depending on your age and experience. It normally takes years to become qualified but there are fast track courses. You don’t necessarily need qualifications to do some plumbing jobs but if you want to work for a company you will definitely need some formal qualifications. From 2010 anyone working on a building site will need an NVQ in their trade. There are also a number of useful plumbing books out there but I will cover them in a later post. The best way to gain skills and experience is through training and working with an experienced plumber. If you want to know how to become a plumber, keep reading and we will go through the different approaches you can take:
Plumbing Apprenticeships
A Plumber apprenticeship is the traditional way to become a plumber . They normally last 4 years and your time will be spent between your local training college and out on the job working with an experienced plumber. You will also get to know a lot of other tradesmen in this time so it is a great opportunity to build up a network. During the course of the plumbing apprenticeship you will normally get paid a basic wage of around £90 although often it will be more than this. At the end you will have an NVQ/SNVQ level 3.
There are no formal entry requirements to get on an apprenticeship but often you will have to sit an aptitude test and some require 4 GCSE’s. If you are over 25 years of age you will probably find it hard to get on a scheme. The places are limited and the competition is intense. Plumbing Apprenticeships in London have even more competition.
For further advise you can call the Apprenticeships helpline on and advice on how to become a plumber 08000 150 600.
Courses for the Inexperienced Adult – How To Become a Plumber from Scratch.
To become ‘fully qualified’ you will need to do the Technical certificates and then NVQ 2 & 3. If you are not currently working in plumbing you will need to gain the following:
- City & Guilds (6129) Technical Certificates Level 2 Basic Plumbing Studies and Level 3 Plumbing Studies.
- City & Guilds (6089) NVQ Level 2 and 3 in Mechanical Engineering Services – Plumbing (Domestic).
The NVQ 3 Includes
- Water Regulations
- Unvented Hot Water Systems
- ACS gas safety for Gas Safe Register (formerly CORGI Registration) approval.
The ACS assessments that you do to get on the gas safe register for commercial and domestic gas are different so keep that in mind if you plan to work in either or both areas!
This guide on how to become a plumber will continue in part 2 covering those working as unqualified plumbers, fast track courses and sponsorship and grants. Click here for part 2
Hi MY NAME IS DANIEL AND AGE 17. May i please ask for your advise, am currently doing a Technical certificates as well as working part time with my uncle who is a qulified plumber for over 22 years, may i ask if you could recomend me any company that maybe takein on apprenticeship,am also seeking to enrol onto NVQ level 2 6129 training after i complete my course.
Thank i await your reponce and hopeing you can help.
Hi Daniel, nice to hear you are doing your technical certificates at such a young age, very wise move. Where about in the country do you live? British/Scottish Gas plumbing apprenticeships would are the first company that springs to mind, they are national, and once qualified they offer good pay, security and a van – But competition is fierce.
Alternatively you could sit down with the yellow pages and phone all local companies, the ones with the big fancy ads are more likely to be looking for apprentices, so start with them first.
Because you are currently working with your uncle you are already an apprentice and that fact alone will enable you to get on some of the higher certificates. Is your uncle gas safe registered, are you looking to work with gas?
Great guide on how to become a plumber. I am just beginning to do my research now and this site has been great so far. Keep up the good work.
I’ve been hunting around the internet all day looking for research (as I am a writer) and stumbled across this page. I’d like to say, it’s very informative and it’s helped me a great deal. I’ve completed an intensive plastering course in the past, as I wanted to perform my own home repairs, as I hate to pay someone else to do things for me. I loved it, if you need a quick insight into plumbing they do course (no qualifications are given though). I think the company was BuildTrain or something. Anyway, nice website, and thanks a lot. Dan
Hello there, my names Ben and im 21 years old, I would be very greatfull for some advice. I have recently completed a 6129 C&G corse witch was 8 weeks long at Able Skills in dartford. What would you recomend the next best move of action would be? I was thinking of doing a gas corse but would it be better for me to do the level 3 corse first? or posibly going self imployed? I am struggling to get into a company and my confidance has been knocked if im honist. Some advide would be great, thanks.
hi shafiq im all work with 7years and i did ITI and im doing AutoCad please i want job there