The Loss of Plumbing Apprenticeships

Applying for and actually getting plumbing apprenticeships nowadays is definitely much more difficult than it was a few years ago. This is primarily caused by financial reasons especially because of the fact that the government requires all workers – regardless if they are regular employees or otherwise – should receive a minimum amount of salary. Therefore, a lot of companies are no longer willing to add to their salary expenses by hiring apprentices when they can in fact already hire a professional.

One of the effects of the loss of the apprenticeship element in this particular profession is that the amount of training obtained by individuals in this field has definitely decreased. While it is true that one learns a majority of one’s knowledge through a proper education, it is also a fact that experience is still one of, if not the best teacher. By taking away the opportunity to learn from actually working as an apprentice plumber, a lot of new professionals are no longer as well-equipped and competent as they were a few years back.

Also, because there are no longer any companies that offer plumbing apprenticeships, the actual number of professional plumbers that get licensed has also decreased.
This has caused a lot of individuals to rethink their career path and opt for other “easier” professions. This goes without mentioning the massive number of foreign workers that is lowly taking over the world of professional plumbing in the UK.

A few years ago, a plumbing apprentice would work for a small amount of money and in some occasions, even do the work pro bono. Back then, people saw it not as a stable source of income but rather, an opportunity to train in a realistic environment and hone one’s mechanical skills. This sacrifice of financial gain is done in the understanding that in the future, one will be able to support one’s self and even his family by working as a well-trained, highly-skilled professional plumber. This delay in gratification will definitely pay itself back two, three, or even four-fold in the future.

Unfortunately, this is just not the case today. Because of the lack of plumbing apprenticeships programs, both the actual number of professional plumbers and the skill level of novice plumber have generally dropped. The sad part is, it doesn’t look like it’s going to get better anytime soon. If anything, it looks like its even going to get worse. Unless the government is able to find a way to bring this programs back without any additional costs for employers then we should all look forward to incessant plumbing problems in the future.