Plumbing Level 1
Start Date: 1st September 2025
- Length 1 Year
- Study Full Time
- Location West Lancashire College
More about the course
This qualification is for those wanting to enter the Plumbing industry as it provides you with the opportunity to pick up some core skills and knowledge and gives you the opportunity to progress onto Plumbing Level 2. These qualifications are aimed at learners who want to learn the basic skills and knowledge of Plumbing.
Entry requirements
- 4 GCSEs at Grade 2-9, including English and/or Maths
For all students who have achieved Maths and English at GCSE Grade 4 or above, you will be able to gain additional qualifications in Sustainability, Employability and Mental Health. This will offer essential skills and support your progression into the industry.
What will I achieve?
If you successful complete this course, you will receive a Level 1 Certificate in Plumbing, as well as a Level 1 or 2 in Functional Skills, or a GCSE in Maths and English
What will I learn?
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Structure of the construction industry
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Fundamental safe working practices
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Environmental and sustainability measures in domestic dwellings
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Site preparation for working in the construction industry
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Above ground drainage
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Copper pipework
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Plastic pressure pipework
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Low carbon steel pipework
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Installation, repair and maintenance of plumbing systems
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Plumbing science
What experience will I have?
- Specialist training from industry experts and suppliers including Sentinel Products, Mira Showers, Myson, Salamander Pumps, McAlpine and Wavin
- Trips and visits to the PHEX Manchester and Go Karting
- Specialist equipment including hydraulic steel benders, gas torchers, hand banding/copper bending machines, simulated rooms for practical works
- Skills competitions including World Skills UK
- Progression to Apprenticeships
How am I assessed?
- Online core unit examination
- Award body phase test
- Portfolio of knowledge
- Online examination
Where can I progress?
-
Level 2 Plumbing
Our students have gone into employment with:
- Huyton Plumbing and Heating Ltd
- Liquid and Gas
- Lathom Heating and Plumbing
- Karl Roberts Domestic Installations
- CLC Group
Course costs
If you are 16-18 years old, you do not have to pay course tuition fees.
If you require information on any financial support that may be available to you with fees or study costs on this course, please contact Student Services who will be able to offer advice and assistance on accessing any financial support that may be available.
Contact our team
Meet our Plumbing students and tutors
Amanda Maddocks
Curriculum Manager for Construction, National Secretary of British Association of Construction HeadsAs Curriculum Manager for Construction, I have high expectations for both student and staff. I am passionate about ensuring the learning experience in Construction is the very best it can be, always looking for additional opportunities that students wouldn’t get anywhere else. We create a safe and supportive environment to ensure all learners reach their full potential and progress into the Construction Industry, with support from our network of employer links.
Mollie
Plumbing Level 2 StudentI am currently studying the Level 2 Plumbing course at West Lancashire College and I chose this as I wanted to be different, to take my career in a direction that nobody else would choose for me. I have applied to be an Apprentice with the college in the near future, which I am really looking forward to. Amanda Maddocks has been fantastic with helping me to apply and has offered a lot of advice for the future.
What can I do with a qualification in Construction?
Daily tasks:
- Organises and establishes control systems to monitor operational efficiency and performance of materials and systems.
- Organises and plans projects, arranges work schedules, carries out inspection work and plans maintenance control.
- Designs structures such as roads, dams, bridges, railways, hydraulic systems, sewerage systems, industrial and other buildings and plans the layout of tunnels, wells and construction shafts.
- Designs foundations and earthworks.
- Determines and specifies construction methods, materials, quality and safety standards and ensures that equipment operation and maintenance comply with design specifications.
- Undertakes research and advises on soil mechanics, concrete technology, hydraulics, water and waste water treatment processes and other civil engineering matters.
Daily tasks:
- Organises and establishes control systems to monitor operational efficiency and performance of materials and systems.
- Ensures that equipment, operation and maintenance comply with design specifications and safety standards.
- Designs mechanical equipment, such as steam, internal combustion and other non-electrical motors for railway locomotives, road vehicles, aeroplanes and other machinery.
- Determines materials, equipment, piping, capacities, layout of plant or system and specification for manufacture.
- Undertakes research and advises on energy use, materials handling, thermodynamic processes, fluid mechanics, vehicles and environmental controls.
Daily tasks:
- Organises and establishes control systems to monitor the performance and safety of electrical assemblies and systems.
- Ensures that manufacture, operation and maintenance comply with design specifications and contractual arrangements.
- Determines and specifies manufacturing methods of electrical systems.
- Supervises, controls and monitors the operation of electrical generation, transmission and distribution systems.
Daily tasks:
- Tests, diagnoses faults and undertakes repair of electronic equipment.
- Organises and establishes control systems to monitor performance and evaluate designs.
- Determines and specifies appropriate production and/or installation methods and quality and safety standards.
- Undertakes research and advises on all aspects of telecommunications equipment, radar, telemetry and remote control systems, data processing equipment, microwaves and other electronic equipment.
Daily tasks:
- Prepares specifications for materials and other components.
- Produces final design information for use in preparation of layouts, parts lists, etc..
- Arranges construction and testing of model or prototype and modifies design if necessary.
- Prepares working designs for steam, aero, turbine, marine and electrical engines, mechanical instruments, aircraft and missile structures, vehicle and ship structures, plant and machinery equipment, domestic electrical appliances, building systems and services, and electronic computing and telecommunications equipment.
- Assesses product requirements, including costs, manufacturing feasibility and market requirements.
Daily tasks:
- Designs, controls and constructs process plants to manufacture products.
- Undertakes research and develops processes to achieve physical and/or chemical change for oil, pharmaceutical, synthetic, plastic, food and other products.
- Liaises with materials buying, storing and controlling departments to ensure a steady flow of supplies.
- Advises management on and ensures effective implementation of new production methods, techniques and equipment.
- Investigates and eliminates potential hazards and bottlenecks in production.
- Devises and implements production control methods to monitor operational efficiency.
- Recommends optimum equipment and layout and prepares drawings and specifications.
- Studies existing and alternative production methods, regarding work flow, plant layout, types of machinery and cost.
Daily tasks:
- Provides technical consultancy services.
- Examines and advises on patent applications.
- Prepare sketches, drawings and specifications showing materials to be used, construction and finishing methods and other details.
- Devises and implements control systems to monitor operational efficiency and performance of system and materials.
- Designs new systems and equipment with regard to cost, market requirements and feasibility of manufacture.
- Establishes principles and techniques to improve the quality, durability and performance of materials such as textiles, glass, rubber, plastics, ceramics, metals and alloys.
- Researches into problem areas to advance basic knowledge, evaluate new theories and techniques and to solve specific problems.
Daily tasks:
- Writes reports for funding bids and planning authorities and acts as expert witness.
- Examines accident 'backspots' to improve road safety.
- Assesses schemes to manage traffic such as congestion charging and parking controls.
- Forecasts the impact on traffic and transport of new developments (e.g. shopping centre).
- Records, monitors and reports progress.
- Identifies defects in work and proposes corrections.
- Regularly inspects and monitors progress and quality of work, ensures legal requirements are met.
- Hires and may supervise site staff, establishes temporary site offices, takes delivery of materials.
- Plans work schedules for construction projects based on prior discussion with architects, surveyors etc..
- Assembles information for invoicing at the end of projects.
Daily tasks:
- Oversees effective implementation of adopted processes, schedules and procedures.
- Prepares plan of sequence of operations and completion dates for each phase of production or processing.
- Analyses plans, drawings, specifications and safety, quality, accuracy, reliability and contractual requirements.
- Prepares work flow charts for individual departments and compiles detailed instructions on processes, work methods and quality and safety standards for workers.
- Ensures accuracy of machines, jigs, fixtures, gauges and other manufacturing and testing equipment.
- Devises inspection, testing and evaluation methods for bought-in materials, components, semi-finished and finished products.
Daily tasks:
- Inspects construction materials and supervises work of contractors to ensure compliance with specifications and arranges remedial work as necessary.
- Sets out construction site, supervises excavations and marks out position of building work to be undertaken.
- Performs calculations and collects, records and interprets data.
- Sets up apparatus and equipment and undertakes field and laboratory tests of soil and work materials.
Construction at West Lancashire College
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West Lancashire College
Wednesday 18th September 2024
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Monday 14th October 2024
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