Introduction
Plumbers install water, drainage, waste disposal, heating and gas
systems (and appliances) in houses and public buildings. They may
work for one of several local council departments, such as building
maintenance, property services, housing or environmental services.
They usually work in teams of skilled craftspeople, supervised by a
building services supervisor.
Work Environment
Most of the work takes place indoors, often in people's homes.
However tasks such as repairs to rainwater and drainage systems
will require some outdoor work. There may be some work at heights,
either on ladders or scaffolding. They may have to work in small,
confined spaces such as lofts and bathrooms.
Daily Activities
Plumbers carry out a variety of tasks depending on the location of
the work or the department to which they are allocated. They may
carry out some or all of the following:
- working to plans and diagrams to install piping and drainage
systems;
- fitting new pipes, toilets, radiators, cold water tanks,
kitchen and bathroom appliances, central heating systems, waste
disposal units, etc.;
- searching for the cause of problems and diagnosing faults;
- deciding on the most appropriate materials and methods to
use;
- mending leaks, replacing piping or valves and unblocking pipes
and drains;
- using a range of hand and power tools to cut, bend and join
(via welding or soldering) metal and plastic pipes;
- weatherproofing roofs, pipes and gutters with plastics or
metal;
- checking and testing all work to ensure that it has been
carried out properly and conforms to regulations;
- carrying out repairs on a call-out basis, sometimes responding
to emergencies;
- ensuring that response times to all call-outs are met;
- completing paperwork and ensuring that all worksheets and
documents are submitted correctly and on time.
Skills & Interests
Plumbers need to be:
- practical and good with their hands;
- able to follow diagrams and plans;
- physically fit and strong;
- presentable, trustworthy and polite, especially when working in
people's homes;
- flexible, with the ability to work well as part of a team or on
their own initiative;
- able to drive;
- aware of health and safety regulations;
- able to organise their workload and work to deadlines.
Entry Requirements
Applicants will often need to be qualified, either with relevant
City and Guilds qualifications, or N/SVQs. You may also need some
previous experience in a building services environment.
Additionally, you may need GCSEs Grades or equivalent in maths and
possibly technology. Some councils ask for their plumbers to
have Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI)
accreditation.
You are also likely to need a full driving licence. Some
councils take on trainees who have the opportunity to train whilst
working. You may be able to work towards N/SVQs or an
Apprenticeship.
Future Prospects & Opportunities
With experience, plumbers may be able to progress to supervisory
jobs or roles within building services or construction management.
With the right training they may also be able to move into building
services/maintenance engineering.
Further Information & Services
British Plumbing Employers' Council www.bpec.org.uk
Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering www.ciphe.org.uk
Construction Skills www.citb.co.uk
Gas Safe Register www.gassaferegister.co.uk
SummitSkills www.summitskills.org.uk
Careers Wales have produced a Spotlight article on careers in
construction: https://www.careerswales.com/en/spotlight-on-construction/
You may find further information about this area of work through
Careers Wales (www.careerswales.com/) or
in your local library, careers office or school careers library