Plumbing Training Courses and Qualifications Explained |
| New entrants into the plumbing industry are faced with an overwhelming array of qualifications. Seeking good advice on the right training path is sometimes difficult to find. The amount of qualifications and related with differing numbers and levels from technical certificates to NVQs is simply huge. The delivery of plumbing training courses is no longer the sole ownership of Further Education (FE) Colleges. There are now unprecedented levels of privately funded training organisations providing plumbing training courses that offer industry recognised qualifications. The growth in privately funded training providers is quite simply down to peoples personal trends, the over subscription of FE college courses caused by the huge growth in demand for construction training in general. FE College courses generally run term-time Sept-July and it's very difficult to find a college who's plumbing courses are not over subscribed. Some colleges have waiting lists to get on the waiting list. Even then FE colleges tend to pick and choose those that show the potential to be excellent students. They do this by using the means of pre-testing students before they are selected and invited to enrol on the course. It sounds unfair, however, colleges are perfectly entitled to do this as it helps ensure that the most capable students don't miss out. Privately run centres not only capture this 'spill over' from FE colleges, but they also offer other attractive aspects of their training programmes and can deliver them in ways that FE colleges simply can't compete with. |
Privately Funded Training Centres Include Flexibility, Convenience and Intensity To Their Training Schedules |
Intensive and Fast-Track are two terms in particular that are associated with privately funded training centres, as their structure and flexibility means they can offer full time plumbing training programmes that lead to the same level of qualifications as FE colleges. This willing flexibility gives private training centres the ability to offer students the opportunity of enrolment to course completion within a timeframe of just 6 - 12 weeks. It sounds short, but when you consider that FE Colleges deliver 38 weeks per year of college guided training this will usually equates to an attendance ratio of just one full day per week, and that's the equivelant of just over 7 training weeks spread over the full 11 month college year. Completing a fast-track course in such a short amount of time (6-12 weeks) is an obviously an attractive option for many, particularly for those people considering changing career or for those who are facing the prospect of being made redundant. So far so good, however, the very nature of privately run training centres that offer intensive courses will mean that you'll pay a premium for its flexibility. Only a few private training providers can offer grants or 'free funding opportunities' for such training other than through personal finance agreements or personal loans. Privately run training centres can and do charge anything between £600 for a basic 10-day practical plumbing training course with no qualifications to £7000 for a (6129) Level 2 Certificate in Plumbing. A Learners Guide To a Career In Plumbing |
What Should You Look For in a Training Provider? |
All awarding bodies such as City & Guilds offer guidance on timescales of delivery of their qualifications and these are referred to as GLH (Guided Learning Hours). For example City & Guilds have allocated 495 GLH for the (6129) Level 2 Certificate in Plumbing. Do your maths, 8 hour days = 40 hours per week. 12 weeks full time attendance would enable you to cover the courses content in the available Guided Learning Hours, but it's fairly common, and acceptable for private training centres to allocate a portion of that time as home study which can effectively reduces the course duration by many weeks. |
I've Found a Training Centre on The Net, Looks Good, What Now?... |
- Make sure you visit the plumbing training centre where you are considering doing your course before enroling
- Will your chosen training centre deliver the qualifications you need to get you work in your chosen industry
- If you intend to be employed/work as a plumber you will need a plumbing qualification (6129) not a (6128)
- Save yourself time by checking that your chosen training centre has City & Guilds approval to run that course
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The link below is helpful to help make sure that the award is relevant to your needs. If you want to be a qualified plumber avoid doing courses that offer qualifications such as: 6217 - 6128 - 6022 - 6032 as the plumbing industry in general and its employers and trade organisations (IPHE etc) do not recognise them as plumbing qualifications and evidence of competence. |
Check Training Centres City & Guilds 6129 Approval Status Here Enter the centres postcode by the binoculars on left hand menu |
Qualifications - Levels - Numbers - What Do They Mean? |
| To keep things simple we'll only look at the qualifications on offer from City & Guilds. |
| Technical Certificates Levels 1-2-3 - Are training programmes that include both written and practical assessments and are delivered within the confines of a training centre, school or college. NVQ 1-2-3 (National Vocational Qualification) - The workplace assessment element of an award that demonstrates on the job competences, reinforcing the achievements in completing technical certificates Levels 1-2-3 (underpinning knowledge). |
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| Level 1. GCSE D-G grades* Ideal if you’re just starting out or are new to the subject area. This level covers routine tasks and basic knowledge. |
6217-08 Multicraft award is not a plumbing qualification. It does include some very basic plumbing type tasks such as bending pipe, connecting fittings together coupled with some simple assessments such as connecting pipe work to a simulated sink etc. The 6217-08 award is very popular with schools who are increasingly offering this type of programme to teach vocational awards to puplis aged 14-19 and includes the teaching of others trades such as bricklaying and painting and decorating. The 6217-08 qualification and its plumbing type related units do not give the student sufficient knowledge or experience to be considered competent in plumbing. The student will require further plumbing training at a more advanced level. Progression on to the 6129-22 award is essential to be considered working towards and achieving competence. |
(GLH-300) 6217-08 Level 1 info |
| Level 2. GCSE A-G grades* Ideal if you’re just starting out or are new to the subject area. This level covers routine tasks and basic knowledge. |
| 6129-22 Level 2 Certificate in Plumbing (Basic) is the plumbing industries only recognised plumbing qualification. The 6129-22 Technical Certificate is a training centre guided award that provides the student with the underpinning knowledge to progress on to the 6089 NVQ 2-3 or 6129-33 Level 3 technical certificate. |
(GLH-495) 6129-22 Certificate in Plumbing Level 2 Info |
| Level 3. A-level* Covers more complex work and will help you develop your supervisory skills |
| 6129-33 Level 3 Certificate in Plumbing (Complex) is a continuos progressional award on from the 6129 Level 2. The Level 3 plumbing award focuses on the complex aspects of domestic plumbing and heating, such as unvented hot water systems, central heating controls and the servicing and commissioning of gas fired appliances. The 6129 Level 3 award provides the student with the underpinning knowledge to progress on to the workplace elements of the 6089 NVQ 3. |
(GLH 380) 6129-33 Certificate in Plumbing Level 3 Info |
| Will You Be Looking For Employment On Completion Of Your Training? |
To gain employment an emloyer will need to see evidence of competence in his occupational field. There's little point applying for a plumbing job with heating qualifications and vise versa. Plumbing companies generally look to employ operatives who can demonstrate the achievement of a (6129) Level 2 Certificate in Plumbing as a minimum, with those who have achieved the 6129 Level 3 or 6089 NVQ 2/3 being considered more desirable for employment. |
Please take time to read An Employers Guide To Plumbing Qualifications |
| Other Related Trade Awards & Qualifications In Addition To Those Already Documented Above |
6128 Heating and ventilating is Not Recognised as a plumbing qualification. The 6128 qualification/s are for those students who are entering the Heating and Ventilating sector. The 6128 group of awards are broken down according to the students chosen discipline: Domestic Heating, Service and Maintenance, Ductwork and Welding. However, the 6128 awards are recognised National qualifications, but for this sector only. The 6128 awards form part of the Heating and Ventilating sectors Apprenticeship Frameworks. |
| 6022 and 6032 awards are standalone assessments and do not form part of any technical plumbing certificate and are not considered in any way to be underpinning knowledge that can lead to a 6129/6089 NVQ 2/3. City & Guilds are in the process of phasing out both of these qualifications, however some training centres are still advertising the awards availability. |
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