Plumbing and Domestic Heating Technician Apprenticeship

Plumbing and Domestic Heating Technicians plan, select, install, service, commission and maintain all aspects of plumbing and heating systems. They 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.

For 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 system. 

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 them to be able to work independently or as a team and to use their knowledge and skills to ensure that both the system and appliances are appropriately selected and correctly installed, often without any supervision, and completed in a safe, efficient and economical manner to minimise waste.

The entry requirement is a minimum of English and Mathematics at Level 2 or GCSE graded 4+ or the equivalent.  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.

DCG, the employer and apprentice will complete a thorough skillscan to ensure the correct programme and level.

DCG, the employer and apprentice will complete regular reviews.

DCG, the employer and apprentice will ensure all knowledge, skills and behaviours are met prior to the End Point Assessment.

Level 3 Diploma in Plumbing and Domestic Heating – Natural Gas

The End Point Assessment covers:

Health and safety systems: legislation, codes of practice, relevant regulations, safe working practices, risk assessment, COSHH and method statements, safe working environments and situations (working at heights, excavations etc.), fire protection and emergency procedures. 

Plumbing and Heating Science processes: scientific principles, heat transfer, units of measurement, mechanical principles, electrical principles, plumbing and heating design principles. 

Pipework: measuring, cutting, bending and jointing techniques. 

Allied trade skills: plastering, drilling, cutting and making good different building fabrics. 

Environmental and energy efficient working practices: environmental principles; compliance with environmental legislation and the impact of processes and technologies associated with fire, emergency and security systems; re-use and recycle; Waste electrical electronic equipment (WEEE) regulations.  

Meet work and project plans and meet customer expectations: managing time, resource and job planning for economic, business and client convenience and sound business principles; principles of high quality customer service and meeting the needs of others; building and maintaining relationships; communicating in a clear, articulate and appropriate manner. 

Plumbing and heating systems: size, select, plan, install, test, commission, decommission, service, maintain, fault find and repair plumbing and heating systems, including cold water, hot water, central heating, sanitation and rainwater, electrical and heating controls, fuel burning appliances and environmental technologies. 

Yes – on a day release basis.

PPE is a mandatory requirement.

They could advance to a HNC or Higher Apprenticeship.

• Senior Plumber
• Company Owner

You may already have someone in your organisation or someone who has come to you directly asking for an apprenticeship. However, if you don’t, we have a free recruitment service to help you hire the best candidate for your organisation from our talent pool and can provide external advertising through social media and the National Apprenticeship Service’s website.

If you are an employer and you would like to know more, please email businessenquiries@derby-college.ac.uk or call 01332 387421