Plumbing skills assessment
 

Hi all thought id write a little post about the skills assessment and what it entails. This is the practical im referring too. Admin please move if in wrong place

So after finally getting a date to do the assessment after the one before got cancelled 2 weeks before its date which they do warn you they can cancel up till 2 weeks before its still very annoying

From starting the process to finally getting on the skills assessment it took me 6 months.

So on the day 8am start and the first 2 hours was theory running through a test paper which by all accounts was very basic. i revised like hell thinking id be caught out on something basic and it was all a waste of time.

The only thing you need to have a look at is how septic tanks work as theres a few questions on that and i know most lads dont install them.

HONESTLY the theory is simple plumbing questions that my year 1 apprentice could answer.

Then from roughly 10 till 3pm with a lunch break in between was the practical and again i stress if you do this day in day out its easy. if youve done the bays at college on nvq lvl 2 it is basically the same.

so first task - pipe in a gas water heater. so hot, cold and gas pipe all done dry no soldering and speed fit for the most bar 3 bends on copper. The gas piping is done with the first few joints in steel and the rest copper you then have to do a gas test on it. this is the standard test we all know.

second task - stub stack with hockey stick for pretend washing machine and 50mm to a pretend sink, yes 50mm as in australia thats what they use. solvent weld one fitting.

third task - Rivet and cut 2 pieces of sheet metal together to specified sizes. easy as use a square to mark the metal and tin snips to cut. 3mm pilot at correct distances and rivet. end of task.

oxy weld a lead joint easy as.

3pm till 4pm last part of theory if you didnt finish before.

all task have a diagram to work from and are clearly marked for distances and where to put what. its literally in a college bay. blackburn college to be exact or mine was anyway.

if you dont know how to rivet or weld they will point you in the right direction, they are mostly looking to see if your competent which if you do this day in day out its easy.

so dont worry like i did

Apparently its getting made harder next year at some point so 2018 but i cant see how much harder they can make it as plumbing is simple on the whole.

hope this helps any other plumbers and good luck :)

:amen:

Re: Plumbing skills assessment
 

What a great post Jon, so helpful for people who'll be doing this in the future. Best of luck with your application!

Re: Plumbing skills assessment
 

Hi, this is good to know. My partner will be doing his plumbing skills assessment soon..we have just started the process with an agent so have been gathering all the documents and paper work.. he is doing his English test today so fingers crossed!! He deals alot with the gas side of things now as a lot of plumbers generally do these days so was worried it would involve a lot of drain work etc! Have you passed skills assessment?
Amy

Re: Plumbing skills assessment
 

believe me when i say there's basically no questions on ground works. we had 2 which were just putting pea gravel or sand around to protect the pipe etc. honestly its easy for a plumber who does it day in day out and the assessor was chilled out and just wanted to see that you were competent. you know if you passed before you leave tbh got my results through the other day and passed. :)

Re: Plumbing skills assessment
 

That's definitely reassured us.. I don't know where he will be doing his practical but don't think there are many around.. we are on the border of north Wales and England so may well be Blackburn.
Where abouts are you thinking of moving to?