Level 2 Plumbing Studies


  • Start Date: 01/09/2025
  • Course is for: School Leaver
  • Course Length: 1 Year
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This course will give you an industry recognised qualification and the technical knowledge and skills required to undertake basic domestic plumbing work, including cold and hot water systems and sanitation and central heating.

The course is designed for those wishing to enter into the plumbing industry but have no previous experience.

This is a qualification that tests both practical and knowledge based skills in a realistic working environment and when you have successfully completed this qualification you will be at Improver/Plumber’s Mate level.

On this course you will study the following units through a mixture of practical workshop sessions alongside classroom based activities:

  • Health and safety in building services engineering
  • Electrical principles and processes for building services engineering
  • Scientific principles for domestic, industrial and commercial plumbing
  • Common plumbing processes
  • Cold water systems
  • Domestic hot water systems
  • Sanitation
  • Central heating systems
  • Drainage system
  • Understand how to communicate with others within building services engineering

Maths and English 

As part of your study programme you will also attend maths and English sessions and have the opportunity to improve your GCSE grades.

Health and Safety Awareness

To be able to go on a construction site, you need to have a certain level of knowledge and skills around health and safety.

We’ll help you gain these skills through specific training and by sitting the Health, Saftey and Environment test.

Required Entry Qualifications

Two GCSE grades at 4 or above in English and maths.

Throughout the course, we’ll monitor your progress and provide constructive feedback to help you to improve where needed.

We’ll measure your skills and knowledge against nationally recognised standards specific to the construction area.

We assess you in a range of ways including practical tasks and projects from which you’ll create a portfolio of evidence, set online exams and written coursework and assignments.

The synoptic assignment is externally set and internally marked and externally moderated.

The assignment requires candidates to identify and use effectively, in an integrated way, an appropriate selection of skills, techniques, concepts, theories, and knowledge from across the whole content area.

A highly motivated team of industry specialists with a wealth of knowledge across a wide range of vocational trades will make up your teaching team.

Our aim is to work with you to support you to develop your knowledge, skills and behaviours to succeed in the construction environment.

If you have the right attitude and commitment, we can support you to become who you want to be.

Our industry partners include Local Authorise and SMEs within the plumbing and heating industries, ensuring that our course content is always up to date and relevant to today’s construction industry and that our work placement opportunities are with some of the best employers in our region.

Our Skills Academy for Construction is a purpose built centre with dedicated workshop areas for each construction trade.

There may be costs for uniform or equipment.

We’ll let you know at our enrolment events or during the application process and will help you to source the required items through our preferred suppliers, meaning you’ll get the best rates.

There is also funding available to help cover some of these costs, if you meet the eligibility criteria.

Ask us for more information at our enrolment events.

After this course, you can progress onto one of our Level 3 courses or an apprenticeship.

Fast track to an apprenticeship
You can start on this programme and fast track to an apprenticeship once you’re ready and a vacancy becomes available.

Sign up to our apprenticeship alerts and we’ll keep you up to date with all the latest vacancies.

Plus our team will help you with your CV or application and help you prepare for interview.

School Leaver Course Guide 2025/2026

View or download our course guide for 16-18 year olds.

Gateshead College School Leavers guide for 2025 - 2026