The missing generation of plumbers.

[Readingplumber]

Hi,

A few years ago I remember reading in the paper - about in the 90s there were hardly any trainee plumbers as everyone was going into IT.

When I done my time from 93-97 there was only 6 students who gained the NVQ 2 and 2 who went onto do the NVQ 3 (RUTC college to be exact). The course started with about 12 YTS students all but 1 dropped out in the first few weeks!

I was just wondering has anyone read any similar articles, or any experiences about this missing generation.

Any infomation given is appreciated - or sources - as I am doing a research project on this!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

done my time same years as you 62 started 6 passed says it all really

 

[REDSAW]

i did the IT one, 3 years o.uni. it was around 1992 i think?.
but then ended up with both I<T and the plumbing that i originally started in 1979.
then i found out last xmas from my mum, that my uncle who owned the well known local firm wanted to pass it on to me keeping the family business name!.
i am good at wasting time and turning left instead of right .lol.

 

[jase158]

I was at college 2 years ago, there was 20 who started, only 3 completed it properly by doing all assessments, and another 4/5 completed it by copying other peoples work (taking photos of them next to somebody elses work) so pretty poor really.

however, none of the people who were at the college have completed nvq yet. (except me)
also the only person that i know of is on the NVQ, does not have an employer, he is employed by his friend (who is a builder and has no employers insurance, something i got told i could not do and that i had to find an employer, be working 4 days a week and be insured by him) and this was the same student who could not even find the centre of a wall and draw a line with a spirit level.

Absolute disgrace colleges are, the strange thing was that 50% of the class did not want to be there, did not pass any of there exams but stayed untill they were told there was no point them carrying on (2 weeks from the end of the year), seems like a waste of a year to me.

 

[fuzzy]

jase, why is it the fault of the colleges? why do you use plural when you only went one college? isnt it the college that got your qual?

I started in 1989, we had a class of about 15 and i can only one dropping out. im in my 30s with 22 years experience, not many of them about! there is no skills shortage but there is a skills gap. the next generation of bosses, managers and supervisors when the oldies have gone, where are they gonna come from i ask you all?

 

[jase158]

jase, why is it the fault of the colleges? why do you use plural when you only went one college? isnt it the college that got your qual?

Sorry mistaken words, I meant colleges in general can be rubbish, obviously there are some good ones out there, but I have spoken to ex students and ex teachers of a couple colleges in my area and they all say they are just as bad as the college I went to.

When I started at college, one of the first things they said to me was that plumbers where the least behaved class out of the whole college, it was like they gave up on us before we had even started.

However I must be constructive and yes there are good colleges out there, they have teachers who want to be there and students who know what they want in life, there will always be a next generation as plumbers teach their children, colleges encourage youngsters to go into construction, and provided we all take on apprentices,once the credit crunch dies down, then building sites will start popping up more regularly and more jobs will open up. All hope is not lost

 

[GQuigley67]

the industry standard in scotland is SVQ3 anything less and your not considered a plumber really, everyone in the class passed a handful done the ACS including myself, this was a couple of years ago though

I went to a good college, good workshops and good ACS training centre

 

[jase158]

the industry standard in scotland is SVQ3 anything less and your not considered a plumber really, everyone in the class passed a handful done the ACS including myself, this was a couple of years ago though

I like that, what is the industry standard in england to call yourself a plumber? read a book on it? saw my mate do a bit? worked with a plumber for half hour?

I know they were talking about making NVQ2 the minimum requirement to work as a plumber, however i think this is only to be on a building site, anybody know any better?

 

[GQuigley67]

this is the minimum to get employment, but dont need anything if going self employed sadly apart from gas safe obviously if your doing gas work but plumbing then i dont think you need nowt

 

[jase158]

this is the minimum to get employment, but dont need anything if going self employed sadly apart from gas safe obviously if your doing gas work but plumbing then i dont think you need nowt

yeah but thats only because the employer asks for NVQ2, its not a legal requirement is it?

 

[GQuigley67]

SVQ3(NVQ3) is the minimum here, you need to sit a 4 year apprenticeship to be classed as a professional plumber in this country, NVQ2 is the minimum in england but not here

 

[fagsanbooz]

should be NVQ 3 with a form of apprenticeship or some form of workplace credit to call yourself a 'professional plumber', otherwise your a plumbers mate/improver!!!
needs to be the same here in england but although all the plumbing, heating and gas organisations say this, no-one gives a .......!!!!!
most of the bigger sites do insist on CSCS cards with NVQ's but otherwise it's down to employers who as we all know are quite happy to employ anyone whos cheaper than the last guy and get one of their 'senior blokes' to 'sign it all off'. It's endemic in england and i don't see any political will to change it, suppose were have to wait until an MP's daughter dies like why part p came about!

 

[GQuigley67]

part p isnt relevant in scotland though, but we get taught how to wire up heating controls in college so don't see the problem as we are competent

is that honestly how part p came about ? its the same with everything they only act when someone dies

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

part p came about after kitchen fitters run a 2.5mm cable on a angle,tiled over the lot husband puts a metal plate rack up,drills trough the live,rack becomes live,wife touches it and the washing machine gets killed the wife is a daughter of a mp part p put trough parliament