The figures explaining how much Plumbers can earn is often talked about in the papers. Within the UK, the figures of 30-70k p.a. are typical of Plumbers, mainly down to their low numbers. The question now is – are we being lied to, or is this the truth? Without a doubt, a fully experienced Plumber can command salaries of such levels. To be fair, the higher earnings of 70-100k p.a. are generally for those working within the self-employed field.

If you are working for a traditional company within the UK, then the hours of Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm are normal. Furthermore from a UK employer, the usual perks are holiday pay and sickness allowance, as well as salaries of between 15k and 30k p.a. A self-employed person can earn more money than this traditional approach, but will often need to work outside of the Mon- Fri, 9am to 6pm example. This is more common in the domestic market where self employed plumbers often have to work evenings and weekends to suit those clients that work during the week.

Also there is the factor of self-employment and whether it goes with some people more than others. Equally there is a need to manage good ‘business sense’, with items such as advertising & marketing factors as well as correctly assessing your own hourly rate. To be fair most self-employed people will have to prepare for additional costs including those relating to legal and accountancy fees as well as those of transport and material usage. Whilst it is expected that the benefits will be high, the costs can mount up though they should always remain a small part of the income overall. And the downsides are nearly always outweighed by the proceeds!

Firstly, it is the ordinary employer who covers most of the needs and teaching prospects that Student Entrants are interested in. The need to increase their certifications and accreditations regularly affect the Self Employed Entrant. To be fair it is the ‘domestic’ market which appeals to a large number of self-employed plumbers and not necessarily that of the commercial sector. (Well the majority do at least)

There does appear to be some union between certification relating to each path of Plumbing education and hence the industry. There is considerable divergence though when the issue of NVQ’s (SVQ’s in Scotland) comes into play.

To begin with, the Student Entrant appears to rely more heavily on the NVQ structure than the Self Employed Entrant. In order to meet their client’s expectations the Self Employed Entrant will often need to use a greater range of certifications. Without a doubt the self employed person needs to quickly gain the core domestic- centred qualifications to satisfy their typical household-based clients. The Student Entrant, once they have covered the key fundamentals, will carry on their study in a way similar to an apprenticeship (within the workplace – where the NVQ element can be assessed.) Considering that it is a cheaper way to study then the Student can make practical savings from the start. But the Self Employed Entrant will gain certifications faster (motivated by a more commercial viewpoint) and will therefore be achieving considerable financial reward long before the Student Entrant.

This clearly demonstrates the need for talk about careers, covering the certification and study required along with the expected financial rewards. It is often the issue of spending time at college and then having to go back to an apprenticeship for up to 3 years that proves difficult to many adults especially those that have a family to look after. It should also be borne in mind that many young Student Entrants have their studies paid for them as part of their overall apprenticeships, whereas the self-employed student generally funds the course themselves. Depending on the level of certification sought and the course itself the costs for people can run into 3k to 10k+.

Student Entrants will in the main study at further-education colleges, the Self Employed student however has the option to consider the increased scope of private commercial colleges. Certain plumbing training companies deliver the accepted skill-sets and qualifications providing the basis for education. The ability to train in evenings, part-time or in self study classes allowing people to continue with their existing job and maintaining their current financial situation remains one of the key advantages to Self Employed Entrants. Using the range of sources, it makes sense to gather as much detail as possible and through this be able to work out the training college that suits you best. We’ve provided links and adverts from several, so why not book-mark this page (CTRL-D) so you can come back later to review your options.

Many plumbing students will increase their ‘marketability’ through the use of further courses. It is by training in areas such as Gas, Green Energy and Electrical that Plumbers can gain extra certifications. Gas training has always been a route for Plumbers to consider, as this forms part of the common domestic and commercial heating system.

Gas training in itself is a specific and rigorous training regime, with core subjects followed by an emphasis on NVQ’s. For those who trained as a plumber first and are now looking at extra skills this also offers many options for their on-going development. In review it is often felt that the mature student responds well to the blend of Gas/Plumbing training. Indeed, for the Mature Student, the path appears to be centred on adopting the core subjects and completely dropping the NVQ elements.

It is from this particular training program that the self-employed professional gains ground. Without a doubt the appeal is to learn a greater range of skill-sets and at the same time earn money from them. It is by removing the reliability on third party sub-contraction that results in the increase of the industrial package. Of concern is the reduction in customer’s value as they have to wait for jobs to be completed by others that in turn can lead to a reduction of the earning potential of a job. In order to offer more value to their relative clients Plumbers need to be more skilled in their job role.

Finally, whilst the Student Entrant breaks into the industry more quickly the Self Employed Entrant has the opportunity for higher potential earnings, but to do so they need to develop a broader range of certifications and a higher level of business skill sets. Note: The above information is solely relative to the UK market, industry requirements and policies.