England’s plumbing workforce is on course to shrink by 30% by 2039, according to a new report by JTL, a leading apprenticeship provider in building services engineering.
The organisation says the report was collated and modelled from across the sector’s main skills card schemes to map the true scale of the workforce.
The report, JTL: Skills training & workforce insights for the Plumbing, Heating and Ventilation occupations found that since 2018, the workforce has fallen by 16%, from 163,500 to 137,800.
The organisation notes that the latest available full year data shows that 2,150 people started a plumbing apprenticeship in England, when Skills England’s own growth modelling implies over 8,500 new entrants a year are needed to meet workforce growth and replacement demands.
It notes that apprentices already make up just 5.2% of the plumbing workforce today, less than half the 14.2% share seen in electrical.
In response to the report’s finding, JTL is calling for the government to take urgent action to boost the uptake of plumbing apprentices. The asks include:
– Raise the SME apprenticeship hiring incentive from £2,000 to £3,000 for under-25s, with a further £3,000 for priority construction standards
– Designate plumbing a priority occupation in national workforce planning, with funding tied to projected shortfalls.
– Remove the delay to the new Level 2 and Level 3 plumbing standards and bring them forward without further hold-ups.
Chris Claydon, CEO of JTL, said: “This country cannot build the homes, energy infrastructure and communities it needs without enough skilled plumbers and heating engineers to do the work. The pipeline into this trade is far too narrow, and every year we delay fixing it, the shortfall grows harder to reverse. Government, employers and training providers all have a part to play, starting with clear standards, proper incentives and a genuine commitment to apprenticeships as the route into this profession.”
Maria Balermpa, Operations and Communications Manager at Actuate UK, part of EBSSA, said: “JTL has produced a first of its kind report and workforce projection model that brings a deeper understanding to the current and future industry needs for plumbing professionals, an integral part of the water, heating, gas and low carbon technologies sectors.
“It is now up for the industry and government to jointly address the workforce challenge, building on the work already underway with Competences Frameworks and the recommendations of the Engineering and Building Services Skills Alliance’s EBSSA’s Sector Skills Plan.”
Sarah Fry, CEO at APHC, added: “The findings of this report reinforce what APHC members are telling us every day. Demand for skilled plumbing and heating professionals continues to grow, yet many small businesses face increasing barriers to recruiting and developing the next generation. Practical support, simpler training pathways and targeted investment are needed to help SMEs continue developing the skilled workforce on which the country’s housing, infrastructure and net zero ambitions depend.”
Image: JTL
