Tag: SNIPEF

Outdated stereotypes and poor career advice are main barriers to women entering the plumbing industry

Trade body for the plumbing industry encouraged by the small but increasing number of women apprentices who are changing the face of plumbing but more still needs to be done

Outdated stereotypes and poor career advice are seen as the main barriers for women considering a career in the plumbing and heating industry, according to a new survey from the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF).

  • In a poll-of-polls of 674 people, 39% of respondents believed sexist and outdated stereotypes were the main barrier to women entering the UK plumbing industry, with 21% stating poor career advice.
  • The poll, conducted between 23-27 February, also found that 28% of people thought there was no barrier to entering the profession, with 12% citing a lack of respect for women.

Fiona Hodgson, Chief Executive of SNIPEF, said: “It is unbelievable that in 2023 outdated and sexist stereotypes continue to be made about what women can and cannot do, often reinforced by misguided career advice that the trades are men-only professions.

“Thankfully, SNIPEF is finding a small but growing number of women who are challenging these misconceptions and entering the plumbing industry, finding it an attractive and lucrative career option.

“We need to encourage greater diversity into our industry, helping us address the current skills shortage and meet the demand from 30% of customers who have stated their preference for a women plumber.”

SNIPEF also revealed ahead of International Women’s Day (March 8), Scottish Apprenticeship Week (6-10 March) and World Plumbing Day (11 March) that 2% of its apprentices are now women, an increase of 50% since 2020. Although still small, trends indicate a growing demand from women to train as plumbing professionals.

Typical of the new cohort of young women trainee plumbing and heating professionals is 17-year-old Naomi Watson from Aberdeen, studying at Dundee and Angus College and about to enter the second year of her apprenticeship with SNIPEF member EJ Parker Technical Services.

Naomi said: “I absolutely adore my job, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. As a commercial plumber, I visit new places with new challenges each month. This week I am heading to Inverness to work on renewable technologies.

“I couldn’t ask for a more supportive team. I love every single one of the boys I work with and get on so well with my journeyman. He has taught me so many things to get me started.

“This job has made me incredibly confident. I feel now that there isn’t anything I can’t achieve if I put my mind to it.”

Dale Thomson, Apprentice Training Manager for SNIPEF, said: “The talent and energy apprentices, such as Naomi, bring to their journey towards the status of a qualified plumber is remarkable.

“The young women who sign up to learn about plumbing bring a fresh element of enthusiasm, skill and dedication to the profession, and it is good for the industry that we are seeing more and more of them.”

In the Autumn, SNIPEF will unveil its new Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion action plan, aimed at confronting industry misconceptions, to encourage more girls and women to consider training as a plumber and setting its ambition to have women making up 10% of all apprentices by the end of the decade.

CASE STUDIES:

Gemma Ireland, 20, Edinburgh.

Year 2, NVQ Level 3, Borders College.

Employer: Joanna Martin, Able Girl Plumbing.

“I chose plumbing as a career because I wanted to do a hands-on job. I had a spell of work experience and I found that I really enjoyed it. I am now doing something different every day – there is just so much variety.

“My employer is very supportive and I am engaged on domestic plumbing and gas work from Monday to Wednesday, with the rest of the week studying at college. It is really interesting.

“None of my family has any connection with the profession and, although I am the first female apprentice, I am not the first female plumber in the company. There is no reason a woman can’t do this job just as well, if not better, than any man.”

Ambition: To have my own company. 

Naomi Watson, 17, Aberdeen.

Year 1, Dundee and Angus College.

Employer: EJ Parker Technical Services.

“I love how fast-paced my job is. I love plumbing so much and feel that it is a great opening for anyone with a practical mindset. It gives you plenty of opportunities, I travel all the time, I meet so many amazing people and I learn new skills every single day. You just need to take on board what the experienced tradespeople have to say.

“I would highly recommend a trade to any female or male out there. It’s a great way of life, you are constantly busy and the pay is good for someone just out of school.

“This job has made me incredibly confident. I feel there isn’t now anything I couldn’t achieve if I put my mind to it. I feel so much more comfortable in my own skin.”

Ambition:      To start my own business.

                        To move up in the company.

                        To work offshore. 

Nina Hamilton, 24, Elgin.

Year 2, Moray College, Elgin.

Employer: Simpson Plumbers.

“I am the first female apprentice in the company and, although it can seem a bit daunting at first, I would definitely recommend it to other women.Once you get into the swing of it, it’s good fun and you learn a lot of good skills.

“In the past, I never would have thought about getting into a trade but, when I was told about an apprenticeship opportunity coming up, I thought why not go for it?

“I like how every day is different and there is a wide variety of types of work. You learn something new every day and can pick up little tips and tricks from the different journeymen on the jobs, which always comes in handy. My employer is very supportive.”

Ambition:      To learn everything I can. 

Ellie McPhee, 19, Glasgow.

Year 1, Glasgow Kelvin College Springburn Campus.

Employer: The Findlay Group.

“On the trial with my current employer, I realised that not only was I not becoming distracted, I was actually really looking forward to learning more.

“I now enjoy each day of my training – each day brings something new – and I am very much looking forward to finishing my first year and progressing to Year Two.

“My employers are very supportive. They are always reaching out to me, checking how I am getting on and helping me – especially when it comes to the college side as I prefer the more practical stuff. They make sure I’m properly supported on site and at college.”

Ambition: Undisclosed. 

Marion Stewart, 21, Elgin.

Year 3, Moray College, UHI.

Employer: G&A Barnie Group.

“Although there are other women working in the Barnie Group, I am the first female apprentice plumber. I have just finished my third year at college and have my gas, renewables and oil qualifications. Next year will focus on practical work with the company.

“Some jobs take just a few hours, but others can last for weeks and I enjoy being involved in a project from start to finish, and the sense of achievement which comes with that. There is a great deal of variety, with something new every day.

“I got started in this career because I actually asked the company for work experience and they suggested I try an apprenticeship instead. Throughout my training, my employer has been completely supportive and has encouraged me in everything I do.”

Ambition:      To become a supervisor or a contracts manager with my current employer. 

Meter-tampering risks lives, warns trade associations

Cost of living crisis leading to increasingly desperate measures with potentially fatal consequences, says SELECT and SNIPEF

Illegal meter-tampering is putting people’s lives at risk as they resort to increasingly desperate measures to reduce spiralling energy bills, two leading electrical and plumbing trade bodies have warned.

Campaigning electrical association SELECT and the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF) say the cost of living crisis is driving a worrying rise in meter-tampering, with potentially deadly results.

The bodies say interfering with electricity and gas meters can have a “disastrous effect” on perpetrators and innocent people nearby – and have urged anyone coming across tampering to report it and avert disaster.

In a joint statement, Alan Wilson, Managing Director of SELECT, and Fiona Hodgson, Chief Executive of SNIPEF, said: “It is a distressing sign of the times that an increasing number of consumers are resorting to tampering with their electrical and gas meters in an effort to reduce their energy bills.

“Stealing energy in this way is a worrying and illegal practice, often encouraged by widely shared footage on social media. But it risks lives and can have fatal consequences for innocent people close by.

“Such services are often offered by unscrupulous individuals who will bypass services or devices for a fee. But often the methods they use are often extremely dangerous and they can have no, or very limited, knowledge of what they’re doing.

“Like all gas and electrical work, interrupting the supply is something that should only ever be dealt with by fully-trained and qualified professionals.

“We are urging all householders and tradespeople to immediately contact the relevant energy company if they suspect meter tampering has occurred.”

The trade bodies’ warning echoes a recent alert from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), who say meter tampering is occurring with increasing frequency as the price of electricity and gas rises.

Sean Smith, Fire Investigation Officers Watch Commander with SFRS, said: “SFRS is now seeing meter tampering and removal services with increasing frequency and, sadly, we have first-hand experience of the tragic circumstances that they can cause.

“We are now engaging with communities to discourage this dangerous act and make people aware of the significant risks from energy theft and meter tampering.”

The renewed alert follows a warning last year from energy regulator Ofcom, who flagged the danger of social media posts claiming gas and electricity meters could be removed as an “energy-saving hack”.

It also coincides with the current high-profile Stay Energy Safe campaign from Crimestoppers, urging contractors and consumers to contact them anonymously at 0800 023 2777 if they think a meter has been tampered.

As part of the campaign, Stay Energy Safe highlighted the tragic case of an elderly woman who died in a house fire in Glasgow after her son had their electricity meter bypassed to save on bill payments.

SNIPEF honours the rising stars in Best Apprentice Plumber awards

Apprentices in the plumbing and heating sector, whose importance has seldom been more keenly recognised, have once again been recognised with the Scotland and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF) Best Apprentice Plumber awards.

The talent and enthusiasm they bring to their journey towards the status of a qualified plumber is the pride of the sector and their achievement confirms to them that the career choice they made has been comprehensively vindicated.

To celebrate the hard work and determination they have displayed, the campaigning trade association has honoured 17 apprentices from the colleges in Scotland in which they study their craft. Each one received a £100 voucher.

SNIPEF’s accolade for the future stars of the profession comes at a time when plumbing and heating is increasingly being seen as making a valuable social contribution during the transition to net zero carbon as well as being a pathway to a rewarding and satisfying working life.

Fiona Hodgson, Chief Executive of SNIPEF, said: “This is the 32nd year that SNIPEF has been seeking out and rewarding the best talent among our stars. It is an accolade that they most certainly deserve.

“It is also a great tribute to employers, for the faith they have demonstrated in our people, but also to the apprentices themselves, the colleges which nurture their ambitions and the organisations such as SNIPEF which wholeheartedly support them.

“We were hard hit over the last few years, when uncertainty stalked the land, so it is very heartening not only that apprentice numbers are back up to where they were before the pandemic, but that the quality of people we are bringing in is so satisfying.”

Dale Thomson, Apprentice Training Manager for SNIPEF, said: “The industry has always been very aware that its future lies in the skill and dedication of the people who are embarking on their careers at this time.

“Unlike a university further education, for which people may have to take out student loans, a plumbing apprenticeship offers the opportunity to gain a nationally recognised qualification and for apprentices to earn while they learn.

“The industry and employers within the sector are always on the lookout for people with the right qualities – initiative, enthusiasm and willingness to learn – and if someone is attracted by the prospect, they could start here.”

Those picked out and honoured by their respective colleges this year include:

  • Ayrshire College. Winner: Aiden McIlroy, Derek Campbell Plumbing, Heating and Gas Services.
  • Borders College: Winner: Stephen Cairns, Mike Cairns Heating and Gas Services
  • Dundee College. Winner: Gregor McNee, Tayside Boiler Services.
  • Edinburgh College. Winner: Jack Forbes, A Alexander & Son (Electrical) Ltd (pictured top)
  • Fife College East. Winner: Owen Robertson, Alistair Thorpe, Cupar, Ltd
  • Forth Valley College. Winner: Hubert Parysek, Comfort Systems Plumbing & Heating Ltd.
  • Glasgow Clyde College. Winner: Kyle Shanahan, Emtec Group.
  • Glasgow Kelvin College. Winner: Matthew Strachan, Axwell Technical Services.
  • Inverness College. Winner: Kirsty Maclean, Alex Matheson Plumbing and Heating
  • Moray College. Winner: Sean Esslemont, McDonald & Munro Ltd.
  • North East Scotland College. Winner: Grant Hunter, Willie Gauld Plumbing, Heating and Renewables.
  • Perth College. Winner: Daniel Van Wyk, DM Plumbing.
  • South Lanarkshire College. Winner: Tom Gillies, BS Plumbing and Heating Services.
  • Tullos Training Ltd. Winner: Adam Myron, Heatcare Oil and Gas Ltd.
  • West College Scotland Clydebank. Winner: Ben Anderson, The Boiler Repair Man.
  • West College Scotland Greenock. Winner: Ritchie McArthur, James Paterson and Sons Plumbing and Heating.
  • West College Scotland Paisley. Winner: Paul Marshall, James Frew Ltd.

SNIPEF has been at the forefront of innovation in training and skills to ensure a vibrant and dynamic industry staffed by professionals versed in the complexity of the technologies which are underpinning renewables and meeting the demand for clean energy in an age of climate change.

SkillsPLUMB: Scotland’s apprentice plumbers display their expertise

Following a two-year Covid gap, Scotland’s top plumbing apprentices have finally had the opportunity of demonstrating their expertise at the much-anticipated SkillsPLUMB competition held at Glasgow Clyde College last month.

Organised by SNIPEF, Scotland and Northern Ireland’s plumbing and heating industry’s trade association, the SkillPLUMB competition, which enables talented apprentices to showcase their skills and knowledge of best plumbing practice, is designed to promote standards and skills across the plumbing industry by developing competence into excellence.

Under close inspection by industry experts, competing apprentices tested their expertise on a series of challenging practical tests and were assessed on their individual knowledge, practical skills and employability attributes against set criteria in a competitively timed environment.

The action-packed day saw a total of 24 apprentices from colleges and training centres across Scotland competing for the top prizes in the lead and copper competitions. The winners were as follows:

LEAD Winners

  • First: Gregor McNee of Dundee & Angus College who is employed by Tayside Boiler Services.
  • Second: Ryan McCrone of Glasgow Clyde College who works for Cruden Building (Scotland) Ltd.
  • Third: Ben Mitchell of West College Scotland (Paisley) who is employed by James Frew.

COPPER Winners

  • First: Sean Esslemont of Moray College who is employed by McDonald & Munro Ltd.
  • Second: Kayne Forsyth of North East College Scotland who works for Camwater Ltd.
  • Third: Jack Forbes of Edinburgh College who is employed by A Alexander & Son (Electrical) Ltd.

The competition gave participants three hours to complete practical exercises in copper pipework or lead work before their work was to be critiqued assessed and marked by a panel of technical experts.

As the Scotland regional heat for SkillPLUMB, the highest-scoring competitors in the copper competition may go onto represent Scotland in the WorldSkillsUK 2022 National Finals which will take place this November in Middlesbrough.

The judges of the lead competition were Alan Marshall, Associated Lead Mills, Robin Hall, SNIPEF Past President and George Todd, SNIPEF Technical Advisor.

The judges of the copper competition were John Docherty, SNIPEF Junior Vice-President, Paul Dodds MBE, UK Skills, Mally Butters, British Plumbing Employers Council (BPEC) and Martyn Raine, SNIPEF Technical Manager.

Jamie Hepburn MSP, Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training, attended the event as the SkillPLUMB competition’s guest of honour.

Stephanie Lowe, Acting Chief Executive Officer of SNIPEF, said: “This great event would not be possible without the support of our partners, funders and sponsors to whom we wish to say a huge thank you, not least to Associated Lead Mills for supplying the lead and Mueller Europe for supplying the copper.”

SNIPEF’s Training Services up for national Award for Excellence

The Scotland and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation’s (SNIPEF) training arm, SNIPEF Training Services, (STS) working together as a task group with nine of Scotland’s colleges, has been shortlisted in the category of “Best Use of Technology in the Delivery of Plumbing Training” by BPEC, the nationally recognised training organisation which is set to hold its Annual Awards for Excellence 2021 ceremony online on Wednesday 8 December.

STS subcontracts off-the-job training to 18 colleges located across Scotland where around 850 apprentices are currently in training. The COVID-19 lockdown and the closure of colleges throughout the country, presented the challenge of ensuring apprentices remained on track to complete their Plumbing & Heating (P&H) Modern Apprenticeship (MA).

Apprentices were unable to enter college premises to undertake their theoretical/practical assessments in the SQA assessments rooms, so STS approached the MA joint awarding bodies, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and the Scottish and Northern Ireland Joint Industry Board (SNIJIB) to explore alternative assessments (AA) procedures.

Dale Thomson, Apprentice Training Manager for SNIPEF, said: “First, we had to ensure any new assessments could be accessed by all apprentices from the safety of their own homes, so we decided to use Microsoft Forms as all apprentices have a Microsoft account.

“Second, with distance learning, we had to ensure that all apprentices had access to suitable IT equipment and were able to undertake assessments, so we worked with our subcontractors to facilitate this.”

Together the task group created 19 AAs with three variations each, typically with around 20/40 questions in each assessment. The work for the AAs ensured that when colleges were able to return, they only had to get apprentices up to date with their practical assessments.

Dale Thomson added: “The new AAs have been well received from employers, apprentices and the Scottish Government’s Skills Minister, Jamie Hepburn.

“Due to its success the joint awarding bodies asked STS to look after and maintain the AAs which will in due course replace the SQA solar assessments.”

Fiona Hodgson, Chief Executive of SNIPEF, said: “The clarity and determination with which the task group addressed the issue and rapidly developed an excellent alternative solution is a tribute to the professionalism of its members.

“It is gratifying to have been shortlisted for this award which, in its own way, underlines the importance of applying new technologies to a range of issues not only within the plumbing and heating sector but in the UK construction industry generally.”

SNIPEF highlights a plumbing professional hero on World Plumbing Day 2021

As plumbing and heating professionals around the globe prepare to celebrate World Plumbing Day today (Thursday March 11), the Covid pandemic has vividly highlighted their importance as critical workers on the frontline of public health and safety.

While World Plumbing Day was inaugurated in 2010 to mark the link between quality plumbing and health, environmental sustainability and economic prosperity, the past year has also demonstrated the vital contribution of plumbing to clean water and sanitation systems.

SNIPEF, the Scotland and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation, recognises how PPE-clad engineers and plumbing professionals have held the line in the pandemic, putting themselves at risk to keep the taps running and the heating on.

Here, SNIPEF highlights one of the industry’s heroes and asks what it takes to make such an important contribution in an increasingly critical sector:

Name

Michael Cairns

Position

Managing Director, Celsius Plumbing and Heating, Edinburgh.

How many employees?

17, including two apprentices, the second of whom qualified just last month.

How long have you been a plumber and how did you get started?

I began serving my time in 2003, and unfortunately qualified just as the financial crisis hit in 2007/8. I was made redundant, so really circumstances dictated that I should have a go at starting my own business. I took on my brother as an apprentice and he now trains people himself and brings them on.

There was, of course, a lot of uncertainty in the economy when we started out – rather similar to the way things are now. But in many other ways, they were different days. The technology for self-employed people was much less developed, and we had to learn everything about business by ourselves.

What is your favourite part of the job?

I’m not really on the tools these days, but still muck in as and when needed, which I really enjoy.

Our company Value ‘willing to sweep floors’ means no matter your position in the company, everyone is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. I have worked really hard over the past four or five years to build a business that can run without me being continually involved in it.

I want to work on the business, rather than in the business. So, I have invested heavily in putting systems and processes in place which, for a trade-based business, is quite unusual. I did not want Celsius to be over-reliant on me.

What I enjoy most about the job at the moment is dealing with internal processes, how we automate and how we employ technology.

What is the greatest challenge in your job?

Very early on in the pandemic, we recognised that although people’s confidence was low, we still had to have access to their homes and workplaces.

But we were only carrying out essential work and anything non-essential had to be placed in a backlog of work. This was quite difficult, since we are a reactive company – work comes in, we get it done and we invoice.

Once we came out of the first lockdown, we were very busy clearing the backlog and once we emerge from this one, we will use the lessons we have learned to catch up with the work we have had to postpone.

How has the pandemic changed your day-to-day?

Safety has always been an over-riding priority, but the last year has placed an emphasis on making sure that our customers, as well as our team, feels safe.

Early last year, we created a Covid Response Video which is communicated to our customers when our engineers are on the way to them so that they know what to expect.

We have to go into a lot of elderly people’s homes and it is vital that they feel safe and confident in us. I am super-proud of the team – you just have to look at our reviews.

Have you implemented any changes during the pandemic that you will continue after?

We knew that cashflow was going to take a hit because we could only do essential work. One solution we have implemented, and it has been really successful, is that we now take payment in advance for work.

It is not normal in the trade. It shows a remarkable degree of trust from our customers, who have been very supportive of our situation. We will continue to do this after Covid.

Have you done anything to help during this difficult time?

As key workers, we have managed to keep most of the team in full-time employment, but when people were furloughed we felt it was really important to keep in touch with them to make sure that they were coping. Tradespeople are naturally busy, and suddenly, overnight, they were confined to the house and not doing anything.

We wanted to let them know that they were not forgotten about and, as well as Zoom meetings, we instituted a Friday check-in. We all know that mental health in isolation has been a major issue over the past year and the feedback from the team has said that our efforts have been very helpful.

International Women’s Day has just passed. How are you helping females into the sector?

Women are valued members of the team. They are an integral part of our organisation, and we couldn’t do without them.

We have three with us at the moment: Monique is an engineer, who specialises in water and Legionella testing and certification; Ailsa, who is a senior maintenance co-ordinator; and Ailie, who started as an apprentice junior administrator and is now a maintenance co-ordinator. We have a blog on our website about their contribution.

What advice do you have to people starting out or thinking about becoming a plumber?

For a small business, we try to do our bit for apprentices. We have helped 10 youngsters in the 14 years we have been going, and we will continue to be ambassadors for apprenticeships.

Obviously, we cannot take on every applicant, but when young people approach us, we always get in touch with them and offer advice about what they could be doing to find an employer. We are going to have an apprentice page on our website, to which we can direct people, and other people in the industry can send applicants to it.

We would advise would-be apprentices to establish a LinkedIn page – it’s free to use and connects you to people in the industry. They should be aware that four years can seem like a long time, and like hard work, but once they are qualified, they have a skill for life. A qualified plumbing and heating engineer should never be out of work.

What has being a SNIPEF member brought to you?

Credibility, in a word. The team at SNIPEF is always on hand to answer any difficult questions we may have and their support for apprentices is first class. When we were taking people on at first, SNIPEF’s advisers were able to guide us in areas such as contracts and employment law. We wish we had joined sooner.

Industy body warns ‘clock is ticking’ for plumbers operating under ‘Grandfather Rights’

Plumbing and heating professionals in Scotland who are operating under historic grading “Grandfather Rights” are being warned that time is fast running out for them if they want to retain their Grading Card, without which they will be ineligible to work on sites.

As part of a shake-up by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), significant changes are being made to the Scottish and Northern Ireland Joint Industry Board (SNIJIB) Grading Card Scheme with effect from January 1, 2021.

The changes mean that plumbers will not be able to renew their SNIJIB/CSCS Plumber, Advanced Plumber and Technician Plumber cards without being able to show that they have attained an SVQ Level 3 Certificate or a City and Guilds Certificate in plumbing.

Industry sources are concerned that the new regime will hit experienced workers who have obtained their SNIJIB/CSCS cards on the strength of an employer’s recommendation rather than the achievement of an Industry recognised qualification.

Stephanie Lowe, Industrial Relations Manager for the Scotland and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF) and Secretary of the SNIJIB, said that her team had written to each individual concerned at the end of last year, but that the response had been disappointing.

She said: “The industry’s Grading Cards carry the CSCS recognised hologram and CLC imprimatur, so the Joint Industry Board needs to meet their criteria. These bodies want to ensure that everyone on site is appropriately qualified so that customers, as well as other personnel, can feel safe and confident.

“Active registered plumbers who previously qualified under ‘Grandfather Rights’, must now achieve and submit plumbing occupational qualifications before the expiry of their current Grading Card if they wish to renew it.

“For anyone who cannot provide evidence of qualifications, the last opportunity to seek a Grading Card will be at the end of this year and the card will expire in 2025, since current Grading Cards have a five-year lifespan.”

The SNIJIB team is also urgently engaged on an industry-wide pilot study to help identify levels of experience in the “Grandfather Rights” cohort in order to see if the SNIJIB can create an Applied Prior Learning scheme for them.

It has already gained qualifications for some 300 active plumbers, but there remain around 1000 plumbers without proof of qualifications who, if they do not act on their Grading Cards by December 31, will not be allowed on site”.

Fiona Hodgson, Chief Executive of SNIPEF, said: “SNIPEF has made great efforts to maintain communication with its 750 member firms which employ 3500 plumbing and heating professionals. If companies are concerned about the changes to the SNIJIB Grading Card Scheme, they should get in touch with the SNIJIB now.

“CSCS cards are proof of training and qualification to work on construction sites. A card-carrying workforce ensures that a business is compliant with safety standards and regulations. For workers, it is an easy way to display the ability to perform certain jobs on a construction site to a specific standard”, she said.