The salaries of Plumbers are often talked about in the national press. It is this need for trained Plumbers that has led to salaries of 30-70k p.a. being advertised. So, is this the truth of the matter, or are we being lied to? To be fair, this wage level is reasonable for the correctly qualified and experienced Plumber. Those taking the more conventional ways to work will find it hard to reach the incomes of 70-100k p.a. that are sometimes achieved by the self-employed.
However, working for regular employers often results in the typical hours of Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm. Salaries of between 15k – 30k p.a. are easily achievable and will include typical benefits such as holiday pay and sickness allowance – what you’d generally expect from any UK employed status. However, if the self employed person is willing to work longer than the normal working hours then more money can be earned. This is more common in the domestic market where self employed plumbers often have to work evenings and weekends to suit those clients that work during the week.
There is also the issue of self-employment itself – which definitely suits some people more than it suits others. Equally there is a need to manage good ‘business sense’, with items such as advertising & marketing factors as well as correctly assessing your own hourly rate. Similarly, to cover additional elements such as legal and accountancy fees and materials and transport, will require the planning of most self-employed people. While these can mount up, (although they should always be a very small proportion of your earnings,) so can the benefits received. Certainly the downsides are virtually always beaten by the income!
Without a doubt Student Entrants are looking for companies who can offer them regular employment and thereby teach them from experience. Equally the Self Employed Entrant needs to increase their list of qualifications within a reasonable time frame. Having said that, the majority of self-employed workers do not join the business sector but focus on the ‘domestic’ market. (Not all of them, but the main do!)
Furthermore, each route into Plumbing has a necessity on the certification process overall. There is considerable divergence though when the issue of NVQ’s (SVQ’s in Scotland) comes into play.
Without a doubt, it is the greater dependence on the NVQ element that separates the Student Entrant from the Self Employed Entrant. In trying to meet their client’s needs many Self Employed Entrants will employ a wider range of qualifications. To satisfy their typical household-based client base many self-employed persons will need to quickly focus on the relative domestic skill sets. Having covered off the key elements of training within the college, the Student Entrant usually then enters the apprenticeship stage within the workplace – where the NVQ element can be assessed. Considering that it is a cheaper way to study then the Student can make practical savings from the start. It is fair to say that long before the Student Entrant the Self Employed Entrant can gain financial benefits through establishing certifications faster and by being more commercially motivated.
It is the required financial rewards that drive the urgency of clear careers discussions, whether they are overall study or certification requirements. 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 is by having their courses paid for them that many Student Entrants can submit to the courses, simply put the more mature self-employed students have to pay for their education themselves. These costs (for self-employed status) can often end up around 3k-10k+, dependent upon the course structure and the level of certification sought.
For the most part, Student Entrants will study at recognised further-education colleges, whereas the Self Employed Entrant has the option to consider the wider range of private commercial schools. It is through well known educational paths that many commercial training companies can offer routes into correct qualifications and skill-set requirements. Of a key opportunity is the ability to train out of hours – evening, part time and self study classes that allows Self Employed Entrants to continue training whilst continuing with their job and maintaining their financial situation. With so many training colleges available, it makes sense to gather information from as many sources as possible. Why not book mark this page (CTRL-D) and then you can come back and review your options from the links and adverts we have provided for you.
It is through the use of bonus courses that many plumbing students want to increase their ‘marketability’. Indeed it is through the added training provided that certification in areas such as Gas, Green Energy and Electrical can be gained. One of the most popular routes for Plumbers has always been Gas training, as this forms part of the typical domestic and commercial heating system.
It is with its main subjects, alongside added NVQ’s, that result in Gas Training being viewed as a technical program. The opportunity for on-going training is for those who trained first as a plumber and are now seeking to add some extra skills to their repertoire. It is from this position that many believe the mix of Plumbing/Gas Training is more apt to the mature student. Indeed, for the Mature Student, the path appears to be centred on adopting the core subjects and completely dropping the NVQ elements.
From this, the self-employed professional appears to suit the variable training schemes. To earn money whilst at the same time as gaining a wider range of perceived skills becomes a desirable prospect. This further enhances their commercial offering, instead of sub-contracting key skills to a third party. Having to wait for critical phases to be completed by sub-contractors can not only reduce the earning potential of each job but can also negatively affect a customer’s perception of a job value overall. To have a higher value within their client base a Plumber needs to consider their relative skill sets that they offer.
Whilst the Student Entrant has the chance to develop through an established employer a Self Employed Entrant can utilise their skill levels through business skills and develop a broader range of certifications to achieve a higher income stream. Note: The above information is solely relative to the UK market, industry requirements and policies.
(C) 2009 Scott Edwards. Hop over to Plumbing Training Courses or CLICK HERE.
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