Meet Bradley, Plumbing & Domestic Heating Technician Apprentice at LPE Plumbing & Heating

We're gearing up for the September 2022 starts of our construction and building services apprenticeship programmes at GC. This month, we're catching up with some of our construction and building services apprentices, to see what inspired them to learn a trade and what they enjoy best about being an apprentice.

The majority of our lecturers discover their passion for teaching while working in the industry, however, it is a different story with Brad, our Plumbing and Domestic Heating Technician apprentice, who decided to learn a trade after first having graduated with a Degree in Teaching and realising that it wasn't not for him. Here’s what he told us.

"Once I completed my teaching degree, the plan was to go and work in Australia; then COVID hit which put a stop to my plans. I’ve always enjoyed practical work, so decided to learn a trade instead.

"I met the owner of LPE Plumbing & Heating Ltd through a mutual friend. We got talking and I was offered an apprenticeship with them.

"My day starts at 7.30-8am depending on what needs to be done. The company offers a comprehensive service covering all major aspects of plumbing, heating and gas; so my job is quite varied and focused on domestic plumbing & heating. I go to merchants, do gas safety certificates; work on site. It’s not a large company and it gets busy.

"I have been enjoying my apprenticeship – it’s a good blend of theoretical and practical learning. It’s nice to be able to come into the College and practise or test things out before going back and implementing it at work.

"I have been well supported at LPE. For example, I have been paired with a colleague who’s just passed their apprenticeship, so they know exactly what the standard involves, what I need to do and the support I need. The business owner used to be an apprentice himself and he has been really supportive too.

"I am in my first year, so still have 3 more years to go. There’s a lot to get your head around – we've been learning about current regulations and understanding the fundamentals of fitting a range of different pipework and fittings, and there’s more to come. When I complete my apprenticeship, I would like to stay with my current employer and keep developing and progressing.

"My advice to anyone deciding what to do after school is weigh up your options and don’t rush into getting a degree. I definitely recommend doing an apprenticeship in plumbing and domestic heating, it’s a 4 year commitment, but you learn a lot at the College and also get invaluable trade experience with an employer”

If you are interested in GC’s Plumbing and Domestic Heating Technician apprenticeship, you can access the apprenticeship fact sheet here. 

In addition to the Plumbing and Domestic Heating Technician apprenticeship, we also offer the following construction and building services apprenticeships:

If your business is interested in training an apprentice in Plumbing & Domestic Heating or other Construction & Building Services disciplines, find out more here, or contact the Employer Training & Apprenticeships team on 01452 563400 or email employer.training@gloscol.ac.uk