According to a new poll conducted among Bristan installers, 64% consider keeping on top of legislative changes as the key ‘must’ for the modern plumber, aside from having the correct qualifications.
This was followed by having an understanding of smart tech (8%), being on top of new product technology (7%) and being able to work quickly (7%) respectively.
Interestingly, when it comes to key personal attributes it appears to be all about people skills. 42% said good people skills are vital to being a professional plumber, shortly followed by having pride in the task in hand (34%) – while physical strength and patience were deemed irrelevant, with 0% of the votes.
It would seem that there is certainly a positive climate in the industry. 71% said they very much enjoyed working as a plumber and 77% said they’d recommend it as a career of choice to their children.
Despite this, however, a whopping 86% said they still don’t feel that plumbers get the credit they deserve, with key reasons being cited as people underestimating the importance of the role and not viewing it as seriously as other trades.
Craig Rendall, Director of Trade Sales at Bristan, comments: “While a very rewarding job, the modern plumbing role isn’t necessarily an easy one. As our results show, not only do today’s qualified plumbers have to keep up with a constantly changing legislation load and technological advancements but, given the nature of the job, it’s just as important to go above and the beyond the call of duty when it comes to their customers’ wellbeing.
“As such, it is a shame to see that today’s plumbers don’t feel as appreciated as they should – after all, they have a very important role to play in helping consumers and ensuring a safe water supply for all.
“With this in mind, we joined forces with Just Trays to launch the ‘Plumber of the Year’ initiative earlier this year, in a bid to reward all the truly talented, hardworking, perfect plumbers we have in the industry and give them the credit they so rightly deserve.”
Bristan is the UK’s number one shower and taps company. For further information, please visit www.bristan.com
