Pipework training standards get minister’s endorsement

Pipework training standards get minister's endorsement

19th March 2015

A group of employers, who came together as an Employer Development Group (EDG) backed by the Building & Engineering Services Association, have developed some revisions to the pipework training standards that building services’ apprentices should meet.

After submitting their recommendations regarding the pipefitting standards to the Apprenticeship Unit of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the EDG have received public notification that ministers have given it their seal of approval.

At a recent National Apprenticeship Week event, Nick Boles, Minister of State for the Department of BIS said of the new suggested pipework training standards; “I congratulate the Employer Development Group on their involvement in designing new apprenticeships for building engineering services.”

If these new standards are officially given the nod, then it will mean that apprentices training to become a building services engineer or installer will have to be able to fit pipework installations to a higher level than currently required.

Pump engineers regularly face problems when going to replace or service a pump if the existing pipework has been fitted poorly. Going forward, this change would make the fitting and maintaining of pumps in new building service installations a much easier job, as well as ensuring that the pump is installed inline in a way that maximises the pump’s operation.