A Guide To NVQ Plumbing

To begin with newspapers appear to love discussing what can be earned in Plumbing. Within the UK, the figures of 30-70k p.a. are typical of Plumbers, mainly down to their low numbers. So, are we being told a story or is this the genuine picture? Certainly this level of payment is both possible and achievable for the correctly qualified Plumber. Those taking the more conventional ways to work will find it hard to reach the incomes of 70-100k p.a. that are sometimes achieved by the self-employed.

To be fair being with a regular employer often results in working from Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm as standard. Salaries of between 15k – 30k p.a. are easily achievable and will include typical benefits such as holiday pay and sickness allowance – what you\’d generally expect from any UK employed status. However, if the self employed person is willing to work longer than the normal working hours then more money can be earned. This is clear when self employed plumbers have to work evenings and weekends, where their domestic clients are working during the day.

There is also the issue of self-employment itself – which definitely suits some people more than it suits others. By using \’good business sense\’, including getting your own cost per hour correct, items such as advertising and marketing can also be worked out. There are additional charges levied to people who work for themselves including legal and accountancy fees as well as those relating to materials and transport. Generally the payback outstrip those of the costs, to the extent that these charges should always be a small part of the earnings overall. And the benefits nearly always far outweigh the downsides!

From the outset it\’s the double offer of teaching them from experience and covering most of their working needs that Student Entrants are looking for in employment. On the other hand, the Self Employed Entrant needs to increase their list plumbing credentials as soon as possible. To be fair it is the \’domestic\’ market which appeals to a large number of self-employed plumbers and not necessarily that of the commercial sector. (Well the majority do at least)

The certification units, needed by each part of the industry keeps a similarity in terms of Plumbing education. There does remain considerable question when the factor of NVQ\’s (SVQ\’s in Scotland) is realised.

From the outset, it is clear that the Self Employed Entrant does not depend as much upon the NVQ\’s as the Student Entrant. In trying to meet their client\’s needs many Self Employed Entrants will employ a wider range of qualifications. To satisfy their typical household-based client base many self-employed persons will need to quickly focus on the relative domestic skill sets. In a similar way to an apprenticeship the Student Entrant will, once the core learning tools have been learned, enter the workplace and be able to carry on the NVQ element of their study. As it is cheaper form of study overall then the Student Entrant can make financial savings from the beginning. But the Self Employed Entrant will gain certifications faster (motivated by a more commercial viewpoint) and will therefore be achieving considerable financial reward long before the Student Entrant.

This clearly demonstrates the need for talk about careers, covering the certification and study required along with the expected financial rewards. It is extremely difficult for adults with a family to look after and needing 20kp.a. to consider going back to college and spending 3 years on low paid-apprenticeship work. It should also be remembered that many younger Student Entrants are entering an apprenticeship and thereby have their courses paid for them whereas the mature self-employed students do not. It is often the course structure and the level of certification that can run into costs of around 3k-10k+.

For the most part the private colleges are the domain of the Self Employed Entrant whereas the Student Entrant is required to study at recognised further-education colleges. Certain plumbing training companies deliver the accepted skill-sets and qualifications providing the basis for education. Of a key opportunity is the ability to train out of hours – evening, part time and self study classes that allows Self Employed Entrants to continue training whilst continuing with their job and maintaining their financial situation. Using the range of sources, it makes sense to gather as much detail as possible and through this be able to work out the training college that suits you best. Why not book mark this page (CTRL-D) and then you can come back and review your options from the links and adverts we have provided for you.

It is through the use of bonus courses that many plumbing students want to increase their \’marketability\’. Key certificates in areas such as Gas, Green Energy and Electrical training can be provided by these courses. Gas training has always been a route for Plumbers to consider, as this forms part of the common domestic and commercial heating system.

Gas Training is considered a dedicated training program with key subjects followed by important NVQ\’s. It also features many options for on-going training, especially for those who trained as a plumber first and are now looking at some extra skills to add to their stable. In review it is often felt that the mature student responds well to the blend of Gas/Plumbing training. For the Mature Student the emphasis appears to be reducing the NVQ elements and focussing on the core subjects.

It is this blend of training that would appear to satisfy the needs of the self-employed professional. The opportunity to learn a wider range of perceived skill-sets (whilst earning money from them) becomes the attraction. This adds to their overall package rather than having to rely on sub-contraction of key skills to third parties. Having to wait for critical phases to be completed by sub-contractors can not only reduce the earning potential of each job but can also negatively affect a customer\’s perception of a job value overall. To have a higher value within their client base a Plumber needs to consider their relative skill sets that they offer.

In consideration therefore the Self Employed Entrant has the chance to earn considerably more and at a realistically higher pace than the Student Entrants, to do so they do have to develop both the range of certifications that they hold and consider the business elements as well. Note: The above information is solely relative to the UK market, industry requirements and policies.

(C) S. Edwards 2009. Pop to CLICK HERE or Plumber Courses.