Plumbing & Domestic Heating Technician
Occupation overview
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.
Skills
- Safe working: Operate in a safe working manner by adhering to health and safety legislation, codes of practice and applying safe working practices
- 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
Knowledge
- Health and safety: Understand health and safety legislation, codes of practice and safe working practices
- Core plumbing systems: Understand 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: Understand installation and testing techniques for electrical components and control systems on plumbing and domestic heating systems
- Plumbing science and processes: Understand scientific plumbing, domestic heating and mechanical principles
- Principles of environmental technology systems: Understand the principles of domestic mechanical environmental technology systems
- Principles of fossil fuels: Understand the principles of fuel combustion, ventilation and fluing arrangements within a domestic environment
- Customer service: Understand the principles of high quality customer service and establishing the needs of others (colleagues, customers and other stakeholders). Respect the working environment including customer’s properties
- Communication: Understand different communication methods, how to communicate in a clear, articulate and appropriate manner and how to adapt communication style to suit different situations
Specific Knowledge and Skills (based on option choices)
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)
Knowledge: Understand the principles of selection, installation, testing, commissioning and service and maintenance techniques on domestic downstream natural gas pipework systems and appliances.
Skills: Select, install, test, commission, service and maintain domestic downstream natural gas pipework systems and appliances.
Option 2 (Fossil Fuel - Oil)
Knowledge: Understand the principles of selection, installation, testing, commissioning and service and maintenance techniques on domestic oil storage, pipework and appliances
Skills: Select, install, test, commission, service and maintain domestic oil storage, pipework and appliances
Option 3 (Fossil Fuel – Solid Fuel)
Knowledge: Understand the principles of selection, installation, testing, commissioning and service and maintenance techniques on domestic solid mineral fuel, wood burning and biomass appliances
Skills: Select, install, test, commission, service and maintain domestic solid mineral fuel, wood burning and biomass appliances
Option 4 (Environmental Technologies)
Knowledge: Understand the principles of selection, installation, testing, commissioning and service and maintenance techniques on solar thermal, heat pumps and water recycling systems
Skills: Select, install, test, commission, service and maintain solar thermal, heat pumps and water recycling systems
Behaviours
- Honesty and Integrity: Develop trust with customers and colleagues by undertaking responsibilities in an ethical and empathetic manner
- Dependable and responsible: Show conscientiousness through being punctual, reliable and professional. Take responsibility for own judgements and actions. Aware of the limits of their own competence
- Enthusiasm and positive attitude: Demonstrate drive and energy in fulfilling requirements of role
- Quality focus: Be quality focussed in work and in personal standards
- Willingness to learn: Identify own development needs and take action to meet those needs. Keep up-to-date with best practice. Maintain and enhance competence
- Work with others: Work effectively and collaborate with colleagues, other trades, clients, suppliers and the public
- Sustainable working: Give consideration to appropriate use of resources and own actions taking into account the impact on environmental, social and economic factors
Entry Requirements
Entry requirements will be determined by individual employers. Typically, apprentices will have English and Mathematics at level 2 on entry, and all will 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.
Duration
Typical completion time is likely to be 48 months. This may reduce if an apprentice has gained previous relevant knowledge and skills, which is recognised as Accredited Prior Learning.
Professional Qualifications / Recognition
This is a Level 3 apprenticeship.
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
Originally published on Gov.uk, this information has been re-used under the terms of the Open Government Licence.
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