Plumbing and Heating Engineer (Level 3 Standard)

Plumbing and Domestic Heating Technicians plan, select, install, service, commission and maintain all aspects of plumbing and heating systems. Plumbing and domestic heating technicians can find themselves working inside or outside a property. Customer service skills and being tidy and respectful are important qualities as they can often find themselves working in customers' homes as well as on building sites.

As a competent Plumbing and Heating Technician, the installation of plumbing and heating systems includes accurate measuring, marking, cutting, bending and jointing metallic and non-metallic pipework. Appliances and equipment can include gas, oil and solid fuel boilers as well as pumps, heat emitters, bathroom furniture or controls as part of cold water, hot water, and central heating or above ground drainage and rainwater systems. Plumbing and Domestic Heating Technicians are at the forefront of installing new and exciting environmental technologies like heat pumps, solar thermal systems, biomass boilers and water recycling systems. It is important for a plumbing and heating technician to be able to work independently or as a team and use their knowledge and skills to ensure that both the system and appliances are appropriately selected and correctly installed, often without any supervision, and done so in a safe, efficient and economical manner to minimise waste.

Generic job titles recognised across the industry include:

• Plumber
• Domestic Heating Engineer
• Domestic Heating Installer
• Plumbing and Domestic Heating Installer
• Plumbing and Domestic Heating Engineer

Applicants must have gained a minimum of 3-5 GCSEs (grades 9-4) or equivalent in English, Maths and ideally a science. Relevant work-based experience would also be considered. Individual employers may also set their own selection criteria for this Apprenticeship.

For a comprehensive understanding of this plumbing and heating programme and what it entails, please click here.

This plumbing Apprenticeship is taught at our London Road Campus on a day release basis once a week. In addition, you will be visited at your workplace regularly by your assessor, to assess your practical skills and knowledge as well as review your progress with your employer. You will be required to sit an End Point Assessment, towards the final stages of your programme, to ensure you have obtained the skills, knowledge and behaviours required to do your job effectively.

Typically, this Apprenticeship will take 4 years to complete, however, those who have already achieved the Level 2 Plumbing apprenticeship will have the duration reduced.

To be a plumbing apprentice you will need an employer who can offer you relevant work and release you for your training. Once you have an employer in place, you can apply online. If after reading this factsheet, you are still undecided about the course most suitable for you, please drop in to one of our Advice Events, ring the Apprenticeship Team on 01743 260400 or email: apprenticeships@shrewsbury.ac.uk