Plumbers and heating and ventilating engineers

Average National Salaries (2020)

What does this career do?

Jobholders in this unit group assemble, install, maintain and repair plumbing fixtures, heating and ventilating systems and pipes and pipeline systems in commercial, residential and industrial premises and public buildings.

Typical tasks

• examines drawings and specifications to determine layout of system
• measures and cuts required lengths of copper, lead, steel, iron, aluminium or plastic using hand or machine tools
• installs fittings such as storage tanks, cookers, baths, toilets, taps and valves, refrigerators, boilers, radiators and fires
• tests completed installation for leaks and makes any necessary adjustments
• attaches fittings and joins piping by welding, soldering, cementing, fusing, screwing or other methods
• repairs burst pipes and mechanical and combustion faults and replaces faulty taps, washers, valves, etc.

Current entry requirements

There are no formal academic requirements although GCSEs/S grades are advantageous. NVQs/SVQs in Mechanical Engineering Services are available at Levels 2 and 3. Apprenticeships are available for plumbing and lead to an NVQ/SVQ at Level 3.

Percentage in work

• Employed

• Unemployed

Due to insufficient sample sizes, some data was excised.

Predicted employment status in 2022

• Full-time

• Part-time

• Self Employed

Predicted employment levels in the East Midlands

Career related courses available at West Notts

• Introduction to Plumbing - Entry Level
• Women in Construction (Free) - Level 1

About the statistics

Data is powered by LMI for All and is sourced from labour market statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the Institute for Employment Research, the Department for Works and Pensions, and the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.