December 2007
Saved by the net!
Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to find a professional plumber or heating practitioner to attend an emergency on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. However, the IPHE does have a special list of Registered Plumbers on the Institute’s website - www.iphe.org.uk - in various areas throughout the UK, who will respond to emergencies over this period. Look for the ‘Christmas Emergencies’ link on the home page.
ENDS (69 WORDS)
DECEMBER 2007
Christmas emergencies
Everyone is hoping for a merry Christmas, but unfortunately some people will end up having to cope with an emergency of some description over the festive period. Burst pipes or problems with the central heating will probably number pretty high on the disaster list, but if you know what to do in case a plumbing emergency occurs it will help to prevent a happy occasion turning into a nightmare.
The Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (IPHE) gives the following advice:
- If you are going away over the Christmas period, leave your room thermostat set low or use your holiday setting on your programmer. Ensure that all exposed pipes and storage cistern are properly insulated, particularly in the roof space or attic.
- In the case of a burst pipe, turn the stop valve (sometimes called a stop cock, often found under the kitchen sink) and if the escaping water cannot be controlled immediately, open all cold water taps so that the pipework and storage system drains quickly. DO NOT TURN ON HOT TAPS. Turn off the central heating system and, if it uses a solid fuel boiler, allow the fire to die out. Switch off any electric immersion heater, then call your plumber.
- If you find a frozen pipe, turn off the mains water supply at the stop valve inside your home. If the frozen pipe runs from a storage cistern and is not controlled by a valve, check that it hasn't split. If it has, empty the cold water storage cistern either by opening the cold water taps or by siphoning the water from the cistern with a garden hose, then call your plumber. If the pipe isn't split, thaw it out by applying hot water bottles or by careful use of an electric hair dryer. Always start thawing a pipe at the end nearest the tap. If any part of the hot water system is frozen, there could be a risk of explosion if the boiler (or other heat source) is kept alight, so ensure it is turned off, or for solid fuel systems, extinguish the fire.
Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to find a professional plumber or heating practitioner to attend an emergency on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. However, the IPHE does have a special list of Registered Plumbers on the Institute’s website - www.iphe.org.uk - in various areas throughout the UK, who will respond to emergencies over this period. Look for the ‘Christmas Emergencies’ link on the home page.
ENDS (1329 WORDS)
DECEMBER 2007
Call for more women to enter industry
Speakers at the recent Women in Plumbing and Heating Group Annual Conference, held at the Union Jack Club in London, called for more women, of all ages, to come into the construction industry.
Following the theme ‘Getting in and Getting on’, the conference was organised by the IPHE’s Women in Plumbing and Heating Group. The day focused on training and career progression in the plumbing and heating sector, with specific information about the qualifications and training involved. The day was divided into key presentations from City and Guilds, NG Bailey, British Gas and JTL, and interactive workshop sessions on Creating a CV, Practical Business Advice and NVQ 3.
Cathryn Hickey, Operations Director for SummitSkills, the Sector Skills Council for Building Services Engineering chaired the Conference. Cathryn set the scene for the day by talking a little about the work of SummitSkills. She said: “SummitSkills has been working with the Women in Plumbing and Heating group to raise awareness of the business sense in employing women as part of a competent and competitive workforce to address the plumbing and heating needs of a rapidly changing population.
“We are just in the process of finalising the Sector Skills Agreement for the Building Services Engineering sector which will be the first overarching coherent and all encompassing strategy to address the sector future skills needs. It will be a strategy that all parties commit to and implement in order to achieve mutually beneficial goals,” Cathryn added.
Cathryn went on to reveal some of the key findings from the research carried out for the SSA. This included a very poor diversity profile on the sector which remains significantly white and male dominated. On average 26% of companies employed women in professional, technical or craft occupations across the UK rising to 55% in Yorkshire and Humber due to some proactive initiatives, and as low as 13% in Northern Ireland and 22% in Wales, where women still have to break into the craft occupations.
More women (24%) are employed by plumbing companies across the UK, compared to electro-technical (18%), H&V (21%) and air conditioning (17%) companies, but a much healthier 58% employed by consulting companies. Comments made from training organisation stated that there are still few applications from women for apprenticeships, and evidence that gender stereotyping in early life does affect and limit career choices of women towards the sector. However, when women do apply for apprenticeships within the industry, they are by far the most hardworking and industrious of the students, often leading the year and by example help to raise the attainment level of the other male apprentices.
First speaker, Dick Winterton, managing director of City & Guilds Awards, continued the theme saying, “The world of skills development is definitely a national priority.” From the mid Sixties, reproduction in the UK has dropped, resulting in around 600,000 less students coming through schools to join the workforce. “That means there is a shortage of young people to train, and the need to diversify into other sources.”
Dick explained the different training courses and qualifications offered by C&G, which include NVQ levels 2 and 3. “NVQs are vitally important to our industry,” he said. “These qualifications are a good as any academic qualifications. Use them and be proud of them.” He also told delegates that they should be “selling their excellence and competency, promote their qualifications, proudly show the C&G logo and others on their vans. The public need to know that you are competent.”
Chris Johnson, in charge of the Plumbing Sector at the City & Guilds then went into more detail about specific plumbing career development and gave some background to the C&G and the work it is doing. He reported that there has been a major success when raising standards in plumbing knowledge and practical skills, due to the hard work and dedication of both the students and the trainers – “a partnership with everyone working together”.
As an HR specialist, Alison Ashworth-Brown, Head of Bailey Engineering Academy at NG Bailey, delivered a powerful and thought-provoking speech designed to encourage more females to apply for training and jobs within the industry. She said: “The whole construction industry is male dominated, but only because we let it be.” NG Bailey run one of the biggest apprenticeship schemes in the country yet only 2% of applications come from females, Alison revealed. “Last year, we actually took on more plumbers than other disciplines. Applications included two girls but just after we made them an offer for a job, their parents persuaded them against it. There is still a lot of work to be done to educate parents in the opportunities available to girls in this industry.”
Alison continued: “There is no discrimination between girls and boys anymore, it is down to qualifications and being able to do the job. Sadly, only a quarter of qualified women work in the industry – that is a waste of women with good engineering qualifications. But having the right qualifications is not all you need to get in and on in the industry. “You have to have an understanding of our industry and how it operates, and be realistic about life on site; be prepared to be treated as an equal,” she added.
“You can also increase your chances by keeping your qualifications up-to-date, look up new technologies and their requirements and be prepared to undertake further training. The future of our industry is based on new technologies, so you need to be knowledgeable in them, continued Alison. “And don’t talk down your skills and experience, but look at the skills you also use in the rest of your life, how they can be applied to the job you are doing or applying for.”
Alison was also one of the presenters of the interactive workshops that ran before and after lunch. She gave some really good advice on writing a good CV and making it appropriate for the job you are applying for. Chris Seth, Mike Pilditch and Jay Patel, all from HM Revenue & Customs Advice Team, ran an excellent workshop on Practical Business Advice, looking at what individuals need to do when they become self employed, and a quick guide on VAT requirements A third workshop was run by Jenni Wood, a plumbing lecturer with comprehensive experience in teaching and setting up courses for NVQ Levels 2 and 3 at various colleges where she works. She was able to answer delegates questions about coursework needed for Level 3.
Presentations by Carole Willsher, Recruitment and Diversity Specialist at British Gas, and Reg Normington, Youth Project Officer at JTL, rounded off the afternoon. Both speakers spoke about the work their respective companies were doing to encourage women into the industry, and echoed many of the thoughts and advice already given throughout the day. There are many good career prospects for women in the construction industry, particularly the plumbing sector. It is a skilled profession to be proud of; you can earn good money and have good career development. It is also a great industry to work in and one that you should be proud of.
IPHE Operations Director, Kevin Wellman, closed the day by thanking delegates and speakers, and especially the two main sponsors, Mira Showers and PTS Plumbing Supplies. Grundfos Pumps also contributed to the day by sponsoring gifts for a prize draw. Nicola Wood, marketing manager for PTS Plumbing Supplies, commented:
“PTS are proud to be associated with the Women in Plumbing and Heating Group and co-sponsor the annual conference. The day was well attended and organised and proved it is worthwhile to continue to encourage and support a growing number of women in the industry by holding such events. As a national supplier we provide a service to plumbing and heating engineers right across the country and by supporting Women in Plumbing we can demonstrate that level of support even further.”
ENDS (1329 WORDS)
DECEMBER 2007