Thinking About NVQ Plumbing - An A-Z

The salaries of Plumbers are often highlighted in the national press. It is this need for trained Plumbers that has led to salaries of 30-70k p.a. being advertised. So, is this the truth of the matter, or are we being lied to? To be certain, for the correctly qualified and experienced plumber, this level of salary is achievable and indeed attainable. To be fair, the higher earnings of 70-100k p.a. are generally for those working within the self-employed field. by JasonKendall The salaries of Plumbers are often highlighted in the national press. It is this need for trained Plumbers that has led to salaries of 30-70k p.a. being advertised. So, is this the truth of the matter, or are we being lied to? To be certain, for the correctly qualified and experienced plumber, this level of salary is achievable and indeed attainable. 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. From UK companies comes the standard reward such as holiday pay and sickness allowance and a potential wage of between 15k and 30k p.a. That said it is by working longer than typically 9am to 6pm, Mon to Fri that self employed people achieve higher incomes than those adopting a traditional approach. This is especially the case where self-employed plumbers have opted to work in the domestic market, where their clients are at work during the day - requiring evening and weekend visits. There is also the issue of self-employment itself - which definitely suits some people more than it suits others. By using 'good business sense', including getting your own cost per hour correct, items such as advertising and marketing can also be worked out. There are additional charges levied to people who work for themselves including legal and accountancy fees as well as those relating to materials and transport. 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 benefits nearly always far outweigh the downsides! 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. On the other hand, the Self Employed Entrant needs to increase their list plumbing credentials as soon as possible. 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. The issue of NVQ's (or SVQ's in Scotland) nevertheless appears to cause some difference. To begin with the NVQ structure appears to be much more important to the Student Entrant than to the Self Employed Entrant. By calling upon a wider range of qualifications Self Employed Entrants will be able to meet their clients' needs from the start. The self employed person needs to consider the wishes of their household clients and use the relative domestic-centred qualifications to satisfy them. The Student Entrant will often carry on their studies in the workplace under an apprenticeship 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. It is often by gaining certifications faster, by being motivated by a more commercial standpoint that the Self Employed Entrant will achieve considerable financial benefits before a Student Entrant. Clearly this illustrates the need for a careers discussion that covers certifications and study alongside those of financial returns. For adults with demands of say a 20kp.a and a family to look after, the prospect of going back to college and spending a further 3 years in low-paid apprenticeship work can be very daunting. 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. These costs (for self-employed status) can often end up around 3k-10k+, dependent upon the course structure and the level of certification sought. 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. Commercially oriented plumbing course companies will provide an established path of training which ultimately leads into recognised skill-sets and qualifications. 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. Considering so many options on hand it is clever to gather data from as many sources as one can. Having provided an option for you to come back and review the links and adverts from several sites, why not book mark this page (CTRL-D). Many plumbing students will go on to consider additional courses to increase their 'marketability'. Courses in areas such as Gas, Electrical and Green Energy can provide added certifications. Forming part of the common domestic and commercial heating system, Plumbers have often opted for Gas Training. Gas Training is considered a dedicated training program with key subjects followed by important 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. In review it is often felt that the mature student responds well to the blend of Gas/Plumbing training. For the Mature Student the emphasis appears to be reducing the NVQ elements and focussing on the core subjects. It is from this particular training program that the self-employed professional gains ground. There is a great empathy for earning money whilst learning a wider range of work skill sets. It is by removing the reliability on third party sub-contraction that results in the increase of the industrial package. Whilst sub-contracting can reduce the earning of a particular job perhaps more important is the deterioration of the value in a customer's eye as they have to wait for jobs to be handled by others before completion of the overall task. 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: This information deals with industry requirements and policies for the UK market alone. About the Author: Copyright 2009 S. Edwards. Check out Plumbing Qualifications or www.CareerProgression.co.uk/jcaprog.html.

 

< Prev		Next >