| By :
Martin Hofschroer
Now is the time for people to take plumbing courses as thousands of plumbers are needed to meet a national skills shortage. The Institute of Plumbing reported that 29,000 plumbers are in demand but what exactly is the life of a plumber like and how much can you expect to earn after completing plumbing courses? Lucy Ballinger, an Observer journalist, explained that plumbing is a practical vocation which mainly involves the repair and installation of drainage, water supply and heating systems. It is vital that plumbers are aware of water and building regulations as well as British and European codes of practice and health and safety issues. Plumbers must also be personable as they will deal with a wide variety of people on a regular basis and will rely on good word of mouth to help them expand their client base. It is recommended that potential plumbers take the City & Guilds NVQ 6129 level 2 plumbing courses as this will allow them to progress onto the NVQ level 3, which they should combine with work experience with a qualified plumber. After completing this training, a qualified plumber can expect to earn a salary in the region of £20,000 at a medium-sized firm which will increase once a person gains more experience in the industry. The average plumber can look forward to earning around £30,000 a year once they have become established within the sector. Self-employed plumbers are likely to earn the most as they can charge up to £90 an hour, which can result in weekly earnings of £1,000, while city plumbers can earn up to £50,000 a year. A plumber's earnings are subject to the demand for their services and how many hours they are prepared to work but during a skills shortage a tradesman has more power to set his prices. Kevin Wellman, operations director at the Institute of Plumbing, told the Observer: "It was a trade I really wanted to go into, so I started at 16 and served a four-year apprenticeship with a well respected firm. "Plumbing is a complex trade to learn. There is a theoretical as well as a practical side to it." There are a number of benefits to being a plumber as tradesmen can derive great job satisfaction from their work by helping other people in need. Plumbing includes a variety of situations which is vastly different from a monotonous desk job. Evolving technology within the industry also means that the plumbing profession is constantly challenging.
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