Plumbing industry organisations are receiving an increasing number of complaints from people who have paid large sums of money for ‘fast track’ training to become plumbers only to discover that the training is inadequate, the advertised qualifications are not fully achieved and/or the promise of lucrative work is non-existent.
• Organisations advertising themselves, quite legally, as City & Guilds registered, but they are not registered to deliver the specific plumbing qualification so the learner cannot be certified
• Organisations delivering only the technical elements of training and a promise of training with no work experience, so learners cannot prove the competences required for the NVQ
• People investing in a franchise arrangement offering training and a promise of work opportunities once qualified, only to find out that they are charged for set up costs and a van amounting to thousands of pounds, and the promised work opportunities do not materialise.
The industry is working to find a solution to this problem, but it is complex as these training providers are operating within the law. In the meantime the key messages for people interested in a career in plumbing are:
• The skill shortages publicised a few years ago are no longer as acute and wage rates have now settled in line with other trades
• The industry recognised standard for plumbing is NVQ Level 3
• To find out about recognised training routes into the industry people should refer to the Learn Direct website www.learndirect.co.uk which contains industry approved careers guidance
• Any complaints about poor training in the plumbing sector should be referred to Summit Skills (Sector Skills Council for the Building Services Sector) – contact details can be found on their website www.summitskills.org.uk
CORGI recognise that the standard for the plumbing industry is considered to be NVQ Level 3, However whilst CORGI will of course welcome all Plumbers with this qualification we do not believe it is practicable to insist that all members of our competent persons scheme for plumbers should have to achieve this prior to joining.
CORGI believes that there should be a phased approach to competent persons obtaining their NVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualification and that the gas industry is a good model to follow. CORGI through our Competent Persons Plumbing Scheme wish to work with industry to raise the standards for plumbing work as we have done with gas. CORGI feel that insisting on an NVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualification would act as a barrier to competent Plumbers with lesser or no qualifications from joining our scheme or in fact any other scheme.
Our objective is to operate a competent person’s scheme for those Plumbers who can demonstrate their competence through a structured pre registration assessment prior to joining. Those who do not have formal qualification will be required to achieve a qualification within twelve months of joining the scheme and will be monitored, and supported by our team of Inspectors to ensure that they are providing work in compliance with legislation. In addition to their technical competence members of our scheme will also have to have public liability insurance plus a complaint and warranty scheme in place in order to provide a quality service and protection for their customers.
CORGI will continue to work with industry including training providers to assist members of our plumbing scheme to achieve formal qualifications in an evolutionary way which has proved to be a successful formula for the gas industry.