Construction icon - crane with wrecking ballOverview

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 a 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.

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  • Entry requirements

    • 16 years or over
    • GCSE grade 4 and above in English and maths
    • Passing an aptitude assessment
    • Employer completion of a range of work documentation.


    Please contact our Apprenticeship team for further entry requirements
    .

  • Level

    Level 3

  • Delivery/Study method

    A minimum of 30 hours of on the job training at the work place per week including a day/ block release to study theory at the college campuses including either Harrow or Uxbridge campus.

  • What will I learn?

    Core knowledge and skills learn't over the course of this apprenticeship include:

    • Health and Safety
    • Core Plumbing Systems
    • Electrical Components and Control Systems
    • Plumbing Science and Processes
    • Principles of Environmental Technology Systems
    • Principles of Fossil Fuels
    • Customer Service
    • Communication.


    In addition to the core skills and knowledge requirements, Plumbing and Domestic Heating Technicians must choose to undertake one of the following specialisms:

    • Fossil Fuel - Natural Gas
    • Fossil Fuel - Oil
    • Fossil Fuel - Solid Fuel
    • Environmental Technologies.

  • Duration and assessment

    This apprenticeship will last 48 months (this does not include EPA period).

    You will be assessed continually in knowledge, skills and behaviour areas at work. Towards the end of the apprenticeship, employers and providers will ‘sign-off’ the apprentice as ready for the end-point assessment (EPA).

  • Where next? Career/study opportunities

    The skills and knowledge you will gain throughout this qualification will qualify you for roles including:

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

     

    By the end of this apprenticeship the candidate will have satisfied the requirements for registration as EngTech by the Engineering Council through The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) and or The Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).

    On completion of the health and safety assessment, as determined, by the assessment plan the candidate will have satisfied the requirements to obtain a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Card through the Joint Industry Board for Plumbing and Mechanical Engineering Services (JIB-PMES) at the appropriate grade.