Welcome to Avand. We are a private training college specialising in Plumbing Training. Our courses are designed for adult learners both male and female that are seeking a career change, most of our students are between 25 and 50 but courses are open to anyone over the age of 18.

Whatever your age or wherever you live, Avand can help you achieve your dreams of joining this exciting and rewarding industry.

Our website has been developed to answer as many questions as possible, we have a completely open and transparent pricing policy so you know from the very start how much the course will cost, how long it should take and which qualifications you will be working towards.

We strongly recommend visiting our plumbing training centre where you will be able to meet the trainers and assessors as well as see our excellent plumbing training facilities. Our next open day is next Saturday. Alternatively, visit us any day during the week. Please call us to arrange an appointment.

Plumbing Courses & Plumbing Training

Plumbing is defined by The Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering (IPHE) as follows:

`Work associated with the provision of water supply pipework including, without limitation, that used for fire fighting; sanitary appliances (e.g. toilets); discharge pipework and drainage; the weathering of structures and buildings; all forms of water and space heating by any energy source'

Plumbing Needs

There will always be a need for a good plumber and therefore good plumbing training and plumbing courses. Plumbers are obviously vital to public health as they deal with clean drinking water, sanitation and of course central heating. But also, many things that we may take for granted that are fundamental to our way of live would be jeopardised. Bathrooms, hot baths, warm houses would be a thing of the past and we would be more at risk of contracting disease from dirty drinking water and poor sanitation.

Plumbing Careers

A career in plumbing is a career with a future. With our Plumbing Courses & Plumbing Training you will be performing a worthwhile and important job, solving a wide variety of different plumbing problems and meeting a diverse range of people every day. You will have to work with your mind as well as your hands and no one day will be the same as the next.

Plumbing Training Courses / Plumbing Qualifications

Plumbing Training Courses & Plumbing generally is not just about changing a washer and fixing leaks. You may decide to deal generally with piped systems for water such as fitting bathrooms, or to focus on building drainage installations. You may wish to become CORGI registered to expand your expertise to work on gas and central heating systems. As well as this you may decide to progress to other areas such as design, consultancy, management or even teaching plumbing training courses.

City & Guilds Plumbing Courses

Before any of this can be achieved, however, you must have the proper plumbing training and hold the right plumbing qualifications. City & Guilds have been awarding plumbing qualifications for many years and they work very closely with the plumbing industry to make sure their plumbing qualifications / plumbing training courses provide the skills required by the industry.

According to the Construction Industry Training Board there is a nationwide shortage of around 30,000 plumbers and this is growing rapidly.

There are several reasons for this. Firstly the average age of existing plumbers is quite high and as a result they are leaving and retiring from the plumbing industry at a faster rate than new plumbers are joining. Secondly, huge building developments like the Olympic Games as well as housing and new builds being at their highest level for many years is draining the pool of plumbers. Thirdly, the colleges do not have the capacity to train the yearly requirement of plumbers alongside which, with easier access to university, many youngsters are choosing degrees over plumbing skills training.

Becoming a Plumber

A National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 2 in plumbing (Plumbing NVQ Level 2)is the minimum qualification needed to be considered as a qualified plumber.

For those looking for a career change, the first step on the road to achieving this plumbing qualification is the City & Guilds Technical Certificate in Basic Plumbing Studies (6129) (City & Guilds Plumbing Course 6129). Please be aware that no other plumbing training course will allow you to progress to the NVQ despite what anyone might say. Therefore when looking at plumbing training providers don't pay large sums of money for plumbing courses that don't deliver this qualification.

Our Plumbing Training Courses

Our plumbing courses usually begin with 8 weeks full time training, Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30 pm.

The course is split equally between classroom tuition, where you will be expected to sit a number of phase tests, and the more practical hands on workshop training where much of the plumbing theory you learn in the classroom is put into practice.

In our plumbing courses you will learn about such things as:

• Health & Safety
• Plumbing Safety
• Key Plumbing Principles
• Common Plumbing Processes
• Cold Water Systems
• Domestic Hot Water Systems
• Sanitation Systems
• Central Heating Systems (Pipework Only)
• Electrical Supply and Earth Continuity
• Sheet Lead Weathering
• Environmental Awareness
• Effective Working Relationships

At the end of the 8 weeks you will go and gain experience in the workplace. That may mean starting your own business (as many of our students do) or working another qualified plumber. You will then need to come back for a final 2 weeks of plumbing exams and assessments. If these are passed you will be awarded your plumbing qualification.

We look forward to seeing you at Avand.