The latest employment figures may be looking positive, but there are still a lot of people who have recently been made redundant. Many of those will be thinking of changing their career and retraining. The thought of eventually being your own boss is a powerful incentive to consider taking up a trade.
Kevin Wellman, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE), is urging anyone who is thinking of spending their redundancy money on fast-track training to become a plumber, to reconsider.
“While the majority of training providers offer quality courses and industry recognised qualifications, there are rogue trainers out there, selling a dream of fast-track courses and high earning careers.
“We have had people contacting the CIPHE to say they have spent thousands of pounds on plumbing courses and have nothing to show for it except a bag of tools and a qualification that isn’t recognised by the industry. It can take years to qualify as a plumber, so if you are being offered a course that only takes a few months to complete it’s very likely you are wasting your money.”
For anyone wanting to enter the plumbing and heating industry it is vital to only train with an accredited provider and to pick the right qualification. The CIPHE recommends training to NVQ Diploma Level 3, which alongside relevant experience entitles individuals to apply for Corporate Membership.
According to a scientist’s study, the number one invention of all time is…plumbing. That statement may not surprise those of you in the industry, but it will come as a surprise to many of the public.
Initiated by the World Plumbing Council (WPC) in 2010, World Plumbing Day promotes the important role plumbing plays in the health and safety of modern society.
Kevin Wellman, commented, “Although we traditionally think of water borne diseases, such as cholera hitting third world countries and disaster struck areas, it should be noted that plumbers in the UK are also on the forefront of public health, protecting the public from potentially life threatening issues such as scalding and Legionnaires’ disease.”
The CIPHE is a member of the WPC and is pleased to promote the role that plumbers play in maintaining the health of the nation.
