Details of standard

Generic job titles recognised across the industry

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

Occupational profile

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.

Core Knowledge and Skills Requirements

                              What is required

Safe working

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

Options

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

Option 1 (Fossil Fuel – Natural Gas)

Behaviours.      What is Required

Honesty and Integrity

Develop trust with customers and colleagues by undertaking responsibilities in an ethical and empathetic manner

Dependable and responsible

Duration:

Typical completion time of the Plumbing and Heating Level 3 apprenticeship is likely to be 42 months. This may reduce if an apprentice has gained previous relevant knowledge and skills, which is recognised as Accredited Prior Learning. Once completed you can then achieve the End Point Assessment. 

Entry Requirements and Mandatory Qualifications:

Entry requirements will be determined by individual employers. Apprentices will have English and Mathematics GCSE at Level 4 or Functional Skills at Level 2 and must have achieved that level prior to taking their end-point assessment. It will be a requirement that the newly developed Level 3 Plumbing and Domestic Heating Qualification is achieved prior to taking the end-point Assessment.

Link to professional registration:

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.

Level:

This is a level 3 Apprenticeship.