Plumbers are Essential

More job seekers should take plumbing courses because the skills are essential to the construction industry.

In the article 'We all need plumbers, not more pen-pushers', Yorkshire Post journalist Jayne Dowle said that Britain requires more skilled tradesmen as their abilities are vital to the economy.

Ms Dowle said that there was an over emphasis on academic education and more should be done to encourage people to learn practical skills on plumbing courses, green energy courses and commercial gas courses.

Practical jobs such as plumbing, electrical work, gas work and carpentry should be held in high esteem as people would be helpless without them.

Ms Dowle wrote in the Post: "Some people are really good at practical tasks. Why should these skills be devalued? They are just as important as being able to type, or do a presentation, or input a load of figures."

An increasing number of people should take plumbing courses in order to become a fully qualified plumber because there are likely to more employment opportunities available to skilled tradesmen.

"We could all live without a Civil Enforcement Officer or an Equality and Diversity Co-ordinator, but none of us can survive without a plumber," added Ms Dowle.

Ms Dowle said that Dr Matthew Crawford, the author of The Case for Working with Your Hands, was a good example of how people can gain greater job satisfaction by pursuing practical careers.

The Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors (APHC) recently announced that it has pledged to work together with the International Code Council in order to promote the plumbing, heating and renewable industry worldwide.

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by the two organisations as part of a promise to maintain industry standards and advance the use of new energy efficient technologies.

Clive Dickin, chief executive of APHC, said that the plumbing industry is one of the most important in the world as plumbers are responsible for saving countless lives on a regular basis.

He said: "People working in the industry are rightly proud of what they do."

However, Mr Dickin said that plumbers need to educate people in the developed world about the benefits of plumbing as they have become complacent about sanitation.

He added: "The industry must stay cohesive, not fragmented; it must maintain health and safety as a top priority and it must embrace new technology."

The International Code Council is an organisation with 50,000 members worldwide.