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Plumbing and Heating Technician

Plan, install and maintain greener and more cost-effective plumbing and heating solutions

How this role makes a difference

Every household across Britain is served by safe running water and most have a central heating system to warm water and heat rooms during the colder months. We depend on our plumbing and heating systems to make life comfortable and easier and all sorts of problems are created when systems break down.

Energy and water efficiency have also become extremely important in protecting our planet’s resources and keeping living costs down. Technicians install, service, and maintain plumbing and heating systems and play a big role in making sure water and energy use is controlled. You could be the technician who helps to ensure people have the water and heat they need and are able to use it efficiently.

The kind of work you’ll do

  • Planning and carrying out installations
  • Completing regular maintenance work
  • Testing systems and finding out the cause of problems
  • Repairing faults
  • Explaining issues and new appliances to customers
  • Replacing components
  • Completing safety checks
  • Disposing of old appliances and equipment correctly
  • Maintaining stock levels of regularly used parts
Useful skills
Problem solving
Skills & attributes
Useful skills
Technologically minded
Skills & attributes
Useful skills
Instructing others
Skills & attributes
Useful skills
Attention to detail
Skills & attributes

What you can bring to the role

A fascination with how things work.

An interest in different sources of energy and how to be energy efficient.

The natural ability to look at a problem logically and consider all possibilities before choosing which option to follow.

The confidence to work with new tools and equipment and learn how to use them properly.

A friendly and polite approach to dealing with people of all kinds.

The ability to work independently and within a team.

Good communication skills and the ability to instruct others on how things work.

Great attention to detail when you plan, implement and record your work.

This role could also be right for you if you have any of the following interests:

- building, making and fixing things

- exploring problems and finding answers

- sustainability

£ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 , 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Average salary per year *
£ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 , 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Average salary per month *

Data powered by LMI for all
*according to ONS

Future career opportunities

With experience you have the option to set up your own business and become an independent plumbing and heating technician. Or alternatively you could join a big national team that serves a large number of domestic properties. There you could progress through local, regional, and director level roles.

You could also decide you want to specialise in a particular area of plumbing or heating. This could mean you transfer to commercial work, where teams often specialise in different sectors such as leisure or hospitality.

How to get into this role

There’s no perfect career path or ideal way into your dream job.

But if you’re interested in education and training options that could be relevant to this role, you might want to consider:  

Schools and colleges each have their own career guidance plan and can provide detailed information, advice, and guidance on options and next steps.

A little more about the role

Exciting features...

In this role you can work inside and outside of domestic properties or you could be part of a team that installs the latest energy efficient systems into new houses. You will work on the piping, drainage and water systems that serve homes, as well as appliances and equipment. You will also be at the forefront of installing new and exciting environmental technologies, like heat pumps, solar thermal systems, biomass boilers and water recycling systems.

Other job titles...

This role can also be known by some other job titles including:

Plumber
Domestic Heating Engineer
Domestic Heating Installer
Plumbing and Domestic Heating Installer
Plumbing and Domestic Heating Engineer

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Tom Woolston

Plumbing and Heating Technician

Tom Woolston
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