Plumbing and Domestic Heating Technician apprentices will be able to plan, select, install, service, commission and maintain all aspects of plumbing and heating systems. You may find yourself working inside or outside a property.
Customer service skills and being tidy and respectful are important qualities as you can often find yourself working in customers’ homes as well as on building sites.
Once trained as a competent Plumbing and Heating Technician, you will be able to install plumbing and heating systems including 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, as a plumbing and heating technician, to be able to work independently or as a team and use your 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.
Off the Job Training
A key requirement of an Apprenticeship is Off-the-job training. This must make up an average of six hours per week of your working hours, over the total duration of your planned training period. Off-the-job training must be directly relevant to the apprenticeship standard and must take place within your normal working hours.
The new learning must be documented and reflected on through the Learner Journal on your e-portfolio.
Entry requirements
You’ll need GCSE Grade Four in English & Maths and positive references. Before you are offered a place on the Plumbing Apprenticeship, both you and the employer will be assessed to make sure you’re both suitable to undertake the apprenticeship. You will need to attend an initial assessment and meet academic entry requirements. The employer must be able to offer the apprentice the range of work required to enable you to gather sufficient evidence throughout the course.
Assessment & Progression
Assessment
Once accepted onto the course, you will attend college on a day release basis to undertake practical training, theory work, undertake reviews, update your portfolio and record your ‘Off the Job Training’. You may also attend several block weeks for your practical training.
You will be assessed by a work-based assessor through practical work with your employer and at college.
Review of progress and growth targets will be set every four to ten weeks, depending on individual needs
End Point Assessment
On-Programme / Working towards the Gateway
There are four Phases included in this apprenticeship. You will usually complete one phase per academic year. At the end of each phase, you will sit a summative test. If you fail the test then you can re-sit within 14 days. If the re-site is failed, then you will be required to re-train for 60 days before you can be entered for the test again. If this happens then a review meeting will be held with you and your employer to discuss whether the student should continue on the apprenticeship.
Once both the assessor and employer are confident that you are ready for EPA then you will go through the gateway. In order for you to go through the gateway you must have passed your Maths & English GCSEs at grade four or above OR have passed Level One Functional Skills and have taken an assessment at Level Two.
End Point Assessment
The Final Assessment forms a large part of the assessment of the apprenticeship and will be delivered by a 3rd party independent assessor.
End-Point Assessment includes;
An Online Knowledge Test (50 Questions / 90 Minutes).
A Practical skills test in an unfamiliar location (7 Hours).
A professional discussion based on an eight week work log produced by you after gateway.
Progression
By the end of this apprenticeship, you 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 you 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.
You will also have successfully completed ACS and have been put on the Gas Safe Register.
What You Will Need To Bring
Stationery supporting study is required. A laptop or pc will aid research and completion of assignments.
Apprenticeship Delivery Info
This is an advanced level 3 apprenticeship designed for learners already holding a relevant level 2 Plumbing and Heating qualification, who wish to specialise in the installation, service and maintenance of a wide range of plumbing and heating systems in domestic environments.In addition learners will undertake the environmental technologies units for solar thermal hot water systems. It includes assessment of both practical skills and knowledge. Learners are also required to produce a portfolio of evidence from the workplace which includes assessment of their performance in the work environment.
Knowledge
Health and safety
Understand health and safety legislation, codes of practice and safe working practices.
Core plumbing systems
Understand selection, planning, installation, testing, commissioning and de- commissioning, service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and repair techniques on cold water, hot water, central heating, above ground drainage and rainwater systems.
Electrical components and control systems
Understand installation and testing techniques for electrical components and control systems on plumbing and domestic heating systems.
Plumbing science and processes
Understand scientific plumbing, domestic heating and mechanical principles.
Principles of environmental technology systems
Understand the principles of domestic mechanical environmental technology systems.
Principles of fossil fuels
Understand the principles of fuel combustion, ventilation and fluing arrangements within a domestic environment.
Customer service
Understand the principles of high-quality customer service and establishing the needs of others (colleagues, customers and other stakeholders).
Respect the working environment including customer’s properties.
Communication
Understand different communication methods, how to communicate in a clear, articulate and appropriate manner and how to adapt communication style to suit different situations.
Skills
Safe working
Operate in a safe working manner by adhering to health and safety legislation, codes of practice and applying safe working practices.
Core plumbing system techniques
Apply selection, planning, installation, testing, commissioning and de- commissioning, service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and repair techniques on cold water, hot water, central heating, above ground drainage and rainwater systems.
Electrical components and control systems techniques
Apply installation and testing techniques for electrical components and control systems on plumbing and domestic heating systems.
Supervisory skills
Take responsibility for own work and safety and welfare of others.
Oversee and organise the programme of work and work environment.
Carry out work and manage resources in an environmentally friendly manner.
Behaviours
Honesty and Integrity
Develop trust with customers and colleagues by undertaking responsibilities in an ethical and empathetic manner.
Dependable and responsible
Show conscientiousness through being punctual, reliable and professional.
Take responsibility for own judgements and actions.
Aware of the limits of their own competence.
Enthusiasm and positive attitude
Demonstrate drive and energy in fulfilling requirements of role.
Quality focus
Be quality focussed in work and in personal standards.
Willingness to learn
Identify own development needs and act to meet those needs.
Keep up-to-date with best practice.
Maintain and enhance competence.
Work with others
Work effectively and collaborate with colleagues, other trades, clients, suppliers and the public.
Sustainable working:
Consider appropriate use of resources and own actions considering the impact on environmental, social and economic factors.
Why hire an Apprentice?
Employers have designed the Apprenticeship Standards to meet the needs of the sector and industry. Ensuring they include:
Relevant Knowledge, skills and behaviours ensure that the Standard is relevant to the occupation.
Widening participation Apprenticeship standards provide opportunities to employees that may not previously have been available.
Development tools A cost effective way to train your employees to undertake specific roles in your business.
Return on Investment On average, an apprentice who has completed their course will increase business productivity by £214 per week (CEBR, 2015).
Course Fees
As an Apprentice, you will pay no course fees. However, your employer may have to pay towards your training as well as provide you with a wage. All Apprentices are entitled to the national minimum apprentice wage within their first year of training from their employer, although they can, and often do, pay more. In the second and subsequent years of an Apprenticeship programme, if you are aged 19 or over, the national minimum wage for your age would apply [https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates]
If you are an employer and want to find out more information regarding employer contributions and any further costs related to the Apprenticeship programme, please contact our dedicated Apprenticeship team at [email protected]
Learn More
-
Open Day
View all open days
