Plumbing Connection Summer 2016

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2 2 PLUMBING CONNECTION SUMMER 2016
ONE CLASS AT A TIME!
There are a whole host of challenges for the plumbing
industry to communicate its benefits and effectively market
itself to teenagers, particularly to gain and retain the
attention of school students.
Sitting down and talking to teenagers, one on one or in
small groups can be more effective than just handing out
flyers or producing a YouTube video.
A one on one approach however requires a lot of
manpower. It requires plumbers who are passionate about
the industry (and feel an obligation to give back) to volunteer
to go to schools and be an ambassador for the industry.
There are some plumbers who already do this but it needs
to be done on a much larger national scale in a controlled
manner.
Shinners Plumbing director Kevin Shinners visits local
schools around the Dandenong region in Melbourne’s South
East, where the company was established over 60 years ago.
“Most kids don’t really get an adequate understanding of
what’s involved in the industry from the school itself. We
need people from the industry engaging with the kids so
they are better informed and that’s why I do it,” he says.
“There are people out there who are working hard with
the kids to assist them but overall we are not managing to
adequately convey how good a trade plumbing is.
“I do mock interviews with the kids who are interested in
trades. This really helps them gain a stronger understanding
of what the industry is all about and helps them to make a
more informed decision.”
Kevin takes this a step further by giving school students
the opportunity to experience two weeks in the life of a
plumber.
He has built a relationship with local schools to give
students interested in a trade an opportunity to get some
plumbing work experience at his business.
“Most students want to come for a few months but we
usually do two week programs so more kids are given the
opportunity.”
“Some kids come through and they love it, others think
‘this is not for me’, but either way it’s a good outcome
because at least they know if they want to choose plumbing
as a career.”
For Kevin there is no money to be made by doing this and
he is not in it for the glory; he is just passionate about the
industry. He knows it is crucially important to the future of
this industry that young people are clearly informed on the
merits of a career in plumbing.
WHAT THE NSW CADETSHIP IN PLUMBING ENGINEERING IS
ALL ABOUT.
The proposed Cadetship would be delivered over a 3 year
period at the Master Plumbers College of Excellence in
Sydney NSW.
The Cadetship is proposed to commence with resume
reviews, aptitude testing, personal interviews and other
assessment criteria. A medical assessment would be
conducted before any agreement is signed off between the
cadet and parents.
Theory and Practical Training: An 18 month fully off-the-job
– 4½ days a week training and assessment. The Cadetship
covers the full traditional plumbing trade for 864 hours
as per the normal delivery plus 432 hours of additional
assessment to provide a higher quality outcome.
Practical Workplace Training and Assessment: A further
18 months guaranteed employment as an indentured
employment with MPAL.
Lifelong Pathways: Registration as a journeyman plumber
and commencement of the Certificate IV in Plumbing to
become a Trade Contractor.
The training scheme will be closely monitored with
multiple assessment activities at key points through the
program. The Cadetship will use an online Skills-Tracker tool
which logs workplace evidence.
Positions in the program should be keenly competed for
and what parent wouldn’t be impressed with their child being
schooled under a professional program like this.
Further details at
COVER STORY: INDUSTRY FUTURE
Kevin Shinners has taken it upon himself to engage with
potential plumbers of the future.