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.
Then there is the matter of working for yourself, which agrees with some people more than others. This can include getting to grips with advertising & marketing, getting your own cost-per-hour correct and the need to learn and use good \’business\’ sense. Furthermore, additional costs such as materials and transport, along with legal and accountancy fees will need to be paid. These charges should always remain a small proportion of the overall income so that any profits created always outweigh them. Plus the profits nearly always beat the odds!
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!)
In terms of plumbing education, there appears to be some similarity between the certification modules required by each path into the industry. There does remain considerable question when the factor of NVQ\’s (SVQ\’s in Scotland) is realised.
To begin with the NVQ structure appears to be much more important to the Student Entrant than to the Self Employed Entrant. The Self Employed Entrant will often call upon a wider range of certifications right from the outset; in order to satisfy their perceived client\’s requirements. Certainly, it is the qualifications aimed at meeting the needs of the typical household-based client base that self-employed persons need to focus upon. In a similar way to an apprenticeship the Student Entrant will, once the core learning tools have been learned, enter the workplace and be able to carry on the NVQ element of their study. By using this cheaper form of study the Student Entrant can make sound financial savings from the outset. That said it is the ability to gain real financial rewards long before the Student Entrant that encourages many Self-Employed Entrants to gain certifications faster and be motivated by a stronger commercial attitude.
It is by covering the study needs along with those of a clear careers discussion that meet the financial rewards. It would prove extremely difficult for an adult – requiring 20kp.a and having to look after their family – to go back to college and then spend 3 years in low-paid apprenticeship work. It should also be remembered that many younger Student Entrants are entering an apprenticeship and thereby have their courses paid for them whereas the mature self-employed students do not. It is often the course structure and the level of certification that can run into costs of around 3k-10k+.
The study process is often split with Student Entrants studying at recognised further-education colleges whereas the mature Self Employed Entrants going for a wider range of private run technical schools. Certain plumbing training companies deliver the accepted skill-sets and qualifications providing the basis for education. This method offers key advantages to Self Employed Students, allowing them to train evenings, part-time or on self-study classes thereby continuing with their existing jobs and maintaining their financial situation. 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).
By going on added training programs many plumbing students seek to increase their \’marketability\’. It is by training in areas such as Gas, Green Energy and Electrical that Plumbers can gain extra certifications. A popular route for Plumbers involves that of the normal domestic and commercial heating system training program of Gas Training.
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 this blend of training that would appear to satisfy the needs of the self-employed professional. The opportunity to earn money whilst at the same time gain a wider range of skills is certainly part of the attraction. The removal of any reliance of sub-contracting key skills of third parties definitely enhances the commercial package. Sub-contracting can not only reduce the earning potential of a job, but also erode the value in the customer\’s eye, as they may have to wait for key stages to be handled by someone else before the final completion of the job. The more skilled a plumber is in their job role – the more that they have to offer their client base.
It is by working at their broader range of certifications alongside business skills that Self Employed Entrants can achieve much higher income streams that their Student Entrant counterparts. Note: The above information is solely relative to the UK market, industry requirements and policies.
(C) Scott Edwards 2009. Browse around Plumbing Courses or Plumber Training Courses.