Who is this course for?
This course is aimed at applicants who are intending to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to enter the plumbing industry. 

What will you learn?

The course will enable you to develop and strengthen both your practical plumbing skills and underpinning knowledge of installing and maintaining domestic plumbing systems. You will train in our workshops through practical tasks simulated to match real life scenarios. During the course, You will also have the opportunity to take part in work experience placements, plumbing related field trips and talks and product training from plumbing manufacturers who visit the college.

What units will I study?

Safety in plumbing activities - Personal safety, regulations, access to work, risk assessments, fire safety & emergencies, electric shock and first aid, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), safe use of LPG and lead working. 

Electrical and Scientific Principles - Plumbing materials, standards & regulations, materials and their properties, plumbing science, units of measurement, properties of water and heat, capillary action & siphonage, principles of electricity. 

Plumbing processes- Tube bending & marking out, pipework materials & jointing processes, hand and power tools, fixing devices, pipe supports & brackets, associated trade skills, generic system knowledge. 

Cold water systems - Cold water supply & treatment, Water Regulations, the origin, collection & storage of water, water treatment, water supply & distribution, types of cold-water systems. 

Hot water systems - Types of hot water system, vented & unvented hot water storage systems, non-storage systems, storage heaters, instantaneous hot-water systems, connection requirements of showers, dead legs & secondary circulation, connection requirements for bidets, pipework installation requirements. 

Sanitation and drainage systems - Sanitary appliances, traps, sanitary systems, pipework installations, access and materials, soundness testing, rainwater & guttering, maintenance & decommissioning. 

Central heating systems - Types of central heating system, Building Regulations and central heating, central heating system components, heat emitters, central heating system controls, how the controls work together, soundness testing of central heating pipework systems, maintenance and decommissioning of central heating systems. 

Practical skills training tasks - Practical plumbing skills will be progressed throughout the course of study and cover a range of activities, enhancing the previously described theoretical units, they are designed to let you develop the necessary skills required to become a successful plumber. 

How long is this course?

This course is one year.

How will I be assessed for this course?

This qualification is assessed at the end of the course by a synoptic assessment and a 60 question online assessment. The qualification is graded Pass, Merit and Distinction.  

What are the entry requirements for this course?

It is desired that students have gained, or working towards, 5 GCSE's grades 3-9 including Maths and English.

Students must be aged 16-19 to study this course.

What can I go on to do after this course?

Progression from this course would be to the NVQ Level 3 Apprenticeship in Plumbing, Or the Building Services Engineering T-Level