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PLUMBING CONNECTION
WINTER 2016
The final numbers for the 2015/2016
licensing year will be available from 31
March 2016, and are expected to be
similar to the year prior.
The PGDB’s registration and
licensing database does not collect
gender specific information, however
it is estimated that females engaging
in the plumbing, gasfitting and
drainlaying trades nationwide is
currently very low; less than 20.
The number of women working
across the construction sector in
Canterbury quadrupled between 2009
and 2014 rising from 2400 to 8100.
Before the earthquakes, only 9% of the
Canterbury construction workforce
were women, which was below the
national average of 13.6%. By 2014 the
figure had gone up to 16% and is still
growing.
Many of those women work for the
Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure
Rebuild Team (SCIRT), helping rebuild
earthquake damaged roads, water,
wastewater and stormwater networks.
QUALIFICATIONS PATHWAY
Apprenticeships (now known as
training agreements) are expected to
take four years. This is for the purpose
of ensuring the trainee is exposed
to a wide range of installations
in building their experience and
industry knowledge of their chosen
trade/s. The expected end result of
an apprenticeship is obtaining the
National Certificate.
The National Certificate is gained by
the trainee through assessment by an
independent training provider, in the
specific unit standards relating to each
trade.
This system is run by the industry
training organisation for the trades.
Once a trainee has the National
Certificate he/she is entitled to sit
the Board’s first registration level
examination, which needs to be passed
in order to be entered on the public
register as a registered licensed
plumber, gasfitter or drainlayer.
A person must also gain a pass in
the Board’s highest level examination,
another 3 hr exam, to be registered
as a certifying person in each trade (1
exam per trade). A person must hold
a practicing licence for 24 months
at licensed level as well as pass the
certifying examination in order to be
able to be registered at certifying level.
Basically, once a person has been
apprenticed, National Certificate
certified, Board examined, Registered
- say as a Licensed plumber, hold a
practising licence for two years
215
150
1027*
55
435
675
Fixings
350
43*
Finished Floor
260
393*
DESIGN TIME
PETER JACKSON