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
Head of Curriculum for ConstructionAs Head of Curriculum 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:
- 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:
- Repairs burst pipes and mechanical and combustion faults and replaces faulty taps, washers, valves, etc.
- Attaches fittings and joins piping by welding, soldering, cementing, fusing, screwing or other methods.
- Tests completed installation for leaks and makes any necessary adjustments.
- Installs fittings such as storage tanks, cookers, baths, toilets, taps and valves, refrigerators, boilers, radiators and fires.
- Measures and cuts required lengths of copper, lead, steel, iron, aluminium or plastic using hand or machine tools.
- Examines drawings and specifications to determine layout of system.
Daily tasks:
- Maintains and repairs woodwork and fittings.
- Checks accuracy of work with square, rule and spirit level.
- Aligns and fixes prepared wood pieces by screwing, nailing, gluing and dowelling to form frames, shop fronts, counter units, decking, theatrical sets, furniture, small wooden craft, scale models and wooden templates.
- Selects and measures appropriate wood and cuts, shapes and drills to specification using saws, planes, chisels and other power or hand tools.
- Examines drawings and specifications to determine job requirements.
Daily tasks:
- Reports as required to managerial staff on work-related matters.
- Determines or recommends staffing and other needs to meet productivity requirements.
- Liaises with managers and contractors to resolve operational problems.
- Establishes and monitors work schedules to meet productivity requirements.
- Directly supervises and coordinates the activities of construction and building workers and/or subcontractors.
Daily tasks:
- Tests joints with electronic test equipment or by filling piping with water, smoke or compressed air.
- Joints pipe by sealing with rubber, cement, lead, etc., connects piping to manholes and attaches pipe junctions as required.
- Selects appropriate asbestos, clay, concrete, plastic or metal pipe sections and lowers them into prepared trenches using hoisting equipment.
- Cuts, shapes and fits wood, lays bricks and tiles, cleans exterior surfaces of buildings and resurfaces eroded stone or brickwork, and performs other tasks in the construction, alteration, repair and demolition of buildings.
- Selects appropriate plasterboard or dry lining panels, cuts them to required size and fixes them to ceilings and walls.
- Fills machine with insulating mixture, positions hose, drills access hole and fills cavities or coats surfaces to prevent loss or absorption of heat and provide fire protection.
Construction at West Lancashire College
News
Upcoming events
Open Event
West Lancashire College
Monday 14th October 2024
4:30pm - 7:30pm
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