Supporting your son or daughter post-16 can bring many challenges, and we hear from parents and carers regularly that they do not know where to start or what the difference is between plumbing and gas, or how to find an apprenticeship. We also are increasingly hearing that parents are unsure of gas engineering as a career in route, as gas won't be used to heat homes in the future!

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

Plumbers and gas engineers tend to be inter-changeable titles, when they are very different roles, although many have trained in both areas and so can carry out the works of both occupations.

PLUMBERS

Plumbers typically focus on hot and cold water and the fixing of water-related issues. Many fit bathrooms including wastewater systems and also design and fit guttering to homes, to remove rainwater. Some plumbers install underfloor heating systems, hang radiators, and install outside taps and grey water systems within homes and also commercial premises. Plumbers can also design, install and repair a range of renewable heating systems, such as air source, ground source heat pumps and solar thermal.

GAS ENGINEERS

Gas Engineers focus on gas (methane) to heat homes and commercial premises. This includes designing, installing, and repairing boilers, as well as fitting and checking other appliances in homes, which require gas such as gas cookers and fires. To work with gas you need need to be a qualified gas engineer and registered on the Gas Safe website. (This is also a great place to start to identify gas engineers in your area and potentially make contact to find out if they could offer work experience or have apprenticeship vacancies.)

Gas Engineers can also design, install and repair a range of renewable heating systems, such as air source, ground source heat pumps and solar thermal and can also complete further courses in LPG, Oil, F-Gas, catering and much more to further enhance their skill set.

RENEWABLES

As part of net zero initiatives in the UK, Government's aim is to decrease our dependency on gas to heat our homes and power premises. As part of this drive, we have a range of alternative heat source technologies being developed and available, like air source and ground source heat pumps, solar thermal, hydrogen boilers, and even electric boilers.

If you are not fitting gas in the future, you likely be fitting renewables, but it will still take the skill set of gas engineers and plumbers to do so.

KEEPING YOU INFORMED

If the apprenticeship routes we offer are right for your child, and they start an apprenticeship with an employer who uses Ignite as their training provider, we won't forget about you! We will keep you informed every 12 weeks of progress by sending you digitally, a copy of their review, along with the opportunity to discuss further with us, any concerns you may have.

We operate a traffic light system (red, amber green) each month to monitor progress, making it easier for everyone to understand strengths and areas for improvement, some of which you may be able to support from home. The more we all work together to support the apprentice the more likely they are to achieve.