Plumbing and Heating Apprenticeship

Summary

To support the installation, maintenance, and repair of plumbing and heating systems under supervision while completing the Level 3 Plumbing and Domestic Heating Technician Apprenticeship. In this role, you will learn how to size, plan, install, service, maintain and commission plumbing and heating systems.

Wage

£14,133.60 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

It can be increased in the second year.

Training course

Plumbing and domestic heating technician (level 3)

Hours

Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, shifts, may work evenings and weekends.

36 hours a week

Start date

Monday 24 November 2025

Duration

4 years

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

• Help install pipes, fittings, and fixtures for water supply, drainage, and gas systems
• Assist with fitting hot water systems, heaters, cooktops, and gas appliances
• Learn to interpret and work from technical drawings and plans
• Assist in locating and fixing leaks, blockages, or other system faults
• Replace damaged pipes, taps, valves, or gas fittings under supervision
• Support routine maintenance of hot water units, gas heaters, and other appliances
• Prepare work areas by laying out tools and materials
• Excavate trenches for pipe laying (manual digging or using equipment)
• Clean up job sites, remove debris, and maintain safe working areas

Where you'll work

26 PEMBROKE ROAD
LONDON
E17 9PB

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

WALTHAM FOREST COLLEGE

Training course

Plumbing and domestic heating technician (level 3)

What you'll learn

• Operate in a safe working manner by adhering to health and safety legislation, approved codes of practice and guidance and applying safe working practices.
• Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation and test of plumbing and domestic heating systems (cold water, hot water, central heating and sanitary appliances and pipework).
• Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation and test of rainwater systems.
• Plan tasks within plumbing and domestic heating systems industry.
• Identify and document hazards for the plumbing and domestic heating systems work. Apply control measures.
• Carry out commission and handover procedures and techniques on plumbing and domestic heating systems (cold water, hot water, central heating, sanitary appliances, and rainwater).
• Install, test, and commission, electrical and electrical control systems applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems.
• Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on the non-electrical components of plumbing and domestic heating systems.
• Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on electrical and electrical control systems applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems including industry safe isolation procedures.
• Decommission plumbing and domestic heating systems.
• Decommission electrical and electrical control systems applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems.
• Plan, size and select cold and hot systems to meet customer’s needs in accordance with manufacturers guidance, regulatory requirements and industry recognised standards and procedures.
• Plan, size and select domestic heating and rainwater systems to meet customers' needs in accordance with manufacturers' guidance, regulatory requirements and industry recognised standards and procedures.
• Carry out and apply the common installation processes and techniques used in the installation and maintenance of natural gas systems (up to 35mm R1¼) and natural gas fired hot water and central heating appliances (up to 70kW net heat input) in the workplace.
• Install, purge, test, commission and handover low pressure natural gas systems (up to 35mm R1¼) and natural gas fired hot water and central heating appliances (up to 70kW net heat input).
• Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on low pressure Natural Gas systems (up to 35mm R1¼) and Natural Gas fired hot water and central heating appliances (up to 70kW net heat input).
• Decommission (including disconnection and dismantling) low pressure Natural Gas systems (up to 35mm R1¼) and Natural Gas fired hot water and central heating appliances (up to 70kW net heat input).
• Plan, size and select low pressure Natural Gas systems (up to 35mm R1¼) and Natural Gas fired hot water and central heating appliances (up to 70kW net heat input).
• Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation of air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
• Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation of solar thermal systems.
• Test, commission and handover air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
• Test, commission and handover solar thermal systems.
• Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
• Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on solar thermal systems.
• Decommission (including disconnection and dismantling) air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
• Decommission (including disconnection and dismantling) solar thermal systems.
• Plan, size and select air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
• Plan, size and select solar thermal systems.
• Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation of plumbing (above 28mm) and non-domestic plumbing pipework.
• Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation of plumbing (above 28mm) and non-domestic plumbing systems and appliances (cold water systems, hot water systems, sanitary appliances and pipework systems and rainwater systems).
• Test, commission and handover plumbing pipework (above 28mm) and non-domestic plumbing systems and appliances in the workplace. (cold water systems and sanitary appliances and pipework systems).
• Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on plumbing (above 28mm) and non-domestic plumbing systems and appliances.
• Decommission (including disconnection and dismantling) plumbing (above 28mm) and non-domestic plumbing systems and appliances.
• Operate in a safe working manner by adhering to health and safety legislation, approved codes of practice and guidance and applying safe working practices.
• Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation and test of plumbing and domestic heating systems (cold water, hot water, central heating and sanitary appliances and pipework).
• Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation and test of rainwater systems.
• Plan tasks within plumbing and domestic heating systems industry.
• Identify and document hazards for the plumbing and domestic heating systems work. Apply control measures.
• Carry out commission and handover procedures and techniques on plumbing and domestic heating systems (cold water, hot water, central heating, sanitary appliances, and rainwater).
• Install, test, and commission, electrical and electrical control systems applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems.
• Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on the non-electrical components of plumbing and domestic heating systems.
• Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on electrical and electrical control systems applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems including industry safe isolation procedures.
• Decommission plumbing and domestic heating systems.
• Decommission electrical and electrical control systems applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems.
• Plan, size and select cold and hot systems to meet customer’s needs in accordance with manufacturers guidance, regulatory requirements and industry recognised standards and procedures.
• Plan, size and select domestic heating and rainwater systems to meet customers' needs in accordance with manufacturers' guidance, regulatory requirements and industry recognised standards and procedures.

Training schedule

• Waltham Forest College - 707 Forest Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 4JB
• 1 day a week on-site at the college

More training information

Waltham Forest College is an aspirational place to learn with highly skilled, supportive staff, industry-standard specialist facilities and works in partnership with employers. We are proud to be an inclusive college, supporting and encouraging our students to ‘Think BIG’ in achieving their career goals. You will be joining one of the top performing Further Education Colleges in the country (top 5%). Rated as Outstanding by Ofsted, Waltham Forest College also has specialist Mayor of London’s Quality Academy status for HealthCare, Construction, Green Technologies and Hospitality, Creative and Digital and is a WorldSkills UK’s Training Centre of Excellence. This provides an exciting opportunity for our students to further develop world-class skills, embedding excellence and developing the higher-level technical skills that employers need.

Our extensive enrichment programme provides an opportunity for you to make new friends, try new skills and activities and, volunteer and have fun, all in a safe and supporting environment. Whether you are looking to develop new skills and confidence, progress to university, retrain or to study to progress to highly skilled, higher-paid employment, we can help springboard your career.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade 4)
• Maths (grade 4)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Problem solving skills
• Number skills
• Logical
• Team working
• Initiative
• Physical fitness
• Health and Safety Awareness
• Adaptability
• Manual Dexterity