The press have often expressed how much Plumbers can earn in the UK. 30-70k p.a. is often talked about because of the lack of Plumbers. So, is this the truth of the matter, or are we being lied to? Without a doubt, a fully experienced Plumber can command salaries of such levels. Salaries of 70-100k p.a. are achievable, but these appear to be the area of the self-employed Plumbers rather than those who take the more familiar working methods.

It is fairly usual to expect working hours of 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday with a reputable employer. Normal remuneration such as holiday pay and sickness allowance, along with wages of between 15k and 30K p.a., are usual from UK companies in this area. By working ‘out of hours’ - typically longer than 9am to 6pm Mon- Fri the self employed person can often achieve a higher wage. This is clear when self employed plumbers have to work evenings and weekends, where their domestic clients are working during the day.

There is the also the fact which fits some people more than others and that is self employment. 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. Likewise self-employed people need to consider the implications of costs relating to materials and transport as well as legal and accountancy fees etc. Generally the payback outstrip those of the costs, to the extent that these charges should always be a small part of the earnings overall. And the downsides are nearly always outweighed by the proceeds!

From the outset it’s the double offer of teaching them from experience and covering most of their working needs that Student Entrants are looking for in employment. The Self Employed Entrant on the other hand will need to widen their list of plumbing accreditations and certifications as quickly as possible. In fairness it is the ‘domestic’ market rather than the commercial sector that attracts the majority of the self-employed workers in the UK. (Not all, just the majority!)

Considering the education in Plumbing, each path into the industry needs some match in the certification modules. There is considerable divergence though when the issue of NVQ’s (SVQ’s in Scotland) comes into play.

From the beginning the Student Entrant instead of the Self Employed Entrant is much more reliant upon the NVQ requirements. By calling upon a wider range of qualifications Self Employed Entrants will be able to meet their clients’ needs from the start. To satisfy their typical household-based client base many self-employed persons will need to quickly focus on the relative domestic skill sets. Having covered off the key elements of training within the college, the Student Entrant usually then enters the apprenticeship stage within the workplace - where the NVQ element can be assessed. As it is cheaper form of study overall then the Student Entrant can make financial savings from the beginning. 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 shows the necessity of a clear careers discussion, covering the overall study and certification requirements alongside the required financial return. It would generate serious hardship, for example, for an adult requiring 20k p.a. (to provide for their family,) to go back to college and spend 3 years in low-paid apprenticeship work. Normally, self-employed students to pay for their courses themselves whereas the younger Student Entrants have the majority of their courses paid for them as part of their apprenticeships. For self-employed people these costs are set by the course structure and the level of certification sought and can end up between 3k-10k+.

For the most part, Student Entrants will study at recognised further-education colleges, whereas the Self Employed Entrant has the option to consider the wider range of private commercial schools. Often through the use of established training schemes many commercially oriented plumbing courses are now able to deliver the necessary skill-sets and qualifications. The situation whereby Self Employed Entrants can continue with their current job and maintain their financial position remains one of the core advantages of training in evening, part-time or self study classes. With so many training colleges available, it makes sense to gather information from as many sources as possible. We have provided adverts and links from several to allow you to come back and review your options, so why not book mark this page (CTRL-D).

Many plumbing students will increase their ‘marketability’ through the use of further courses. These courses can provide a range of additional certifications in areas such as Gas, Green Energy and Electrical. One of the most popular routes for Plumbers has always been Gas training, as this forms part of the typical 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. It also features many options for on-going training, especially for those who trained as a plumber first and are now looking at some extra skills to add to their stable. From this stance, the mature student is often more suited to a cross of Plumbing/Gas 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 mix of training methods that the self-employed professional appears to benefit. To earn money whilst at the same time as gaining a wider range of perceived skills becomes a desirable prospect. Instead of having to rely upon third parties to complete certain skill-sets, this adds to their commercial viability. 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.

In consideration therefore the Self Employed Entrant has the chance to earn considerably more and at a realistically higher pace than the Student Entrants, to do so they do have to develop both the range of certifications that they hold and consider the business elements as well. Note: This information deals with industry requirements and policies for the UK market alone.

Author: Scott Edwards. Look at Click HERE or Plumber Training Courses.