Who is this course suitable for?
This course is suitable for anyone who:
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About the NVQ Upskill Pathway in Plumbing & Heating
The NVQ Upskill Pathway in Plumbing & Heating is designed to support both experienced plumbers and those new to the sector who wish to build on existing qualifications and experience.
If you earned your Diploma in Plumbing & Heating (or equivalent) without access to a workplace, you may now be in a position where you’re working professionally or have access to a site where you can apply your skills in a professional setting.
If this is the case, our NVQ Upskill Pathway course allows you to top-up your Diploma-level learning and fulfil the requirements needed to earn your NVQ Diploma. You won’t be retreading old ground; this pathway focuses on the NVQ-specific aspects of the full NVQ Diploma course so you can fast-track your way into securing your NVQ qualification.
Once you earn your NVQ Diploma in Plumbing & Heating, you will be eligible to:
How is the NVQ Upskill Pathway delivered?
Access to a workplace or professional site
For the NVQ Upskill Pathway, you will need to have access to plumbing work that you can safely carry out in a professional setting. Depending on your level of experience, you may wish to arrange for supervision by an experienced professional/colleague.
You will be asked to log and evidence your work on-site, demonstrating how you apply NVQ-level skills in a professional setting.
How is the NVQ Upskill Pathway in Plumbing & Heating assessed?
During the examination phase of the course, you will be assessed based on your theoretical knowledge and practical skills. You will be examined via:
There are no credits or honours for this course. You will either pass and gain your qualification, or you will be referred and have the opportunity to retake the exam at a later date. If you need to retake the exam, you will receive a free re-sit for each module.
What are the next steps after earning the NVQ Diploma qualification?
Once you have earned your qualification, we will offer you support on next steps.
This can include connecting you with partner organisations and clients who are in need of qualified installers or maintenance engineers, either on a direct of subcontracting basis.
Frequently asked questions
If you were to secure your NVQ Diploma in Plumbing & Heating (Level 2), you’d be eligible to join any of the following Approved Plumber Schemes:
- The JIB-PMES CSCS Registration Scheme
- Water Industry Approved Plumber Scheme
- Anglian Water APLUS approved plumber scheme
- Severn Trent Water Mark approved plumber scheme
- Thames Water Approved Contractor Scheme (TAPS)
If you’re unsure of which scheme might work best for you or what action to take once you earn your qualification, you can always chat to us before you book your place and we can help you work out which approach is best for you.
Absolutely not, you don’t need to have trained with us before to join this pathway. We welcome any and all plumbers, engineers and professionals-in-training to join us at our Stafford-based training centre and earn their NVQ Diploma.
Yes, you will need to have access to a workplace where you can gather evidence of NVQ-level skills and experience.
Depending on your level of experience, we advise you consider arranging for on-site supervision by a plumber, heating engineer, or someone with relevant professional experience and/or qualifications.
You can enrol for the NVQ Upskill Pathway at any time of the year. We accept learners for this pathway throughout the year and to a point, we can work around your schedule to ensure you can secure your qualification as you continue working/training alongside your studies.
You don’t need to have specific professional experience to enrol in this pathway. Whether you’ve been working for five years as a plumbing professional or you’re fresh off a Diploma course, all you need to join the pathway is:
- a Diploma in Plumbing & Heating or equivalent technical qualification
- access to a workplace or professional site
If you’re unsure whether this course is right for you or not, you can talk to our team of teachers and engineers. We’ll be happy to offer you all the advice and guidance you may need.
Staffordshire Training Centre is one of approximately 160 approved centres delivering training and carrying out assessments under the LCL Awards.
The LCL Awards is one of the Building Services Engineering (BSE) sectors foremost awarding organisation and certification bodies. They’re a well-trusted and recognised organisation; read more about the LCL Awards here.
If you were unable to successfully pass the assessment phase of the course, you would be referred and together, we’d work out what approach is best for you.
If a candidate wants to retake their exams, we provide you with the opportunity to re-sit any module exam for free. We’d also work with them to ensure they can further develop their skills and practical experience, giving them the confidence and knowledge to hopefully pass their exams this time round.
If we or the candidate feels they need more significant support or that the course isn’t suitable for them, we would work with the candidate to work out the best outcome for all.
To join this course, you will need to be over 18 years of age and no longer in full-time formal education.
We’re lucky enough to have a great mix of people join us in our classrooms, and we often welcome learners who are over 50.
