Classes of Registration

As we stated last edition the Board invited the Federation to speak to it regarding Classes of Registration.  This meeting went extremely well so read what happened.

Linkback: https://www.plumbers.nz/fellow-practitioners-update/41/fellow-practitioner-issue-330-dated-31-march-2017/2076/

Hi Enn.   I think the Federation is on the right track and the term I heard kicked around was work place competent. From what I understand this is what the Tertiary Education Council expects an apprentice to be when they complete their apprenticeship. So going by that they not only have to pass the exams but also need to be skills competent. Good training is what is needed. I think the Federation is right in what they say about sticking to our primary business of producing competent plumbers gasfitters and drainlayers. After that is where the specialist type subjects come into it.

Look at Medical. They produce Competent Doctors and Nurses and then they specialise from there.  In our case advanced trade subjects could be developed and that way if you don't want to progress to advanced trade subjects you don't have to but you can still work legally at the primary without supervision. 

Hi guys fully agree Jax, guys who have done all the present system requirements have done very well but in my opinion the extra years/exams should not be necessary if we went back to the proven apprenticeship course of the past that produced excellent tradesmen (look to the past to see the future) . I believe that after a fully served apprenticeship, a now fully qualified person needs a couple of year’s full employment with a medium to large company working on medium to large major contracts to be exposed to many different types of installations and also the huge amount of experience of older work mates, this is where the `hands on` knowledge is really learned and the taught knowledge becomes real. I would be a fan of after a fully served apprenticeship, a now qualified trade’s person should stay with the company or join any other competent company for another two years before given the right to be self employed, I know this may stir a few guys up but from my own experience I found it extremely beneficial to work with trades people who had many more years in the trades than I and who passed on their skills and knowledge freely. I worked on sites with companies that employed such trades people for about nine years and felt really confident/competent to carry out my chosen trades tasks without worries.
  Just to finish my view, I believe that the present setup has been completely fragmentated with present and future trade’s persons in our trades not knowing which way to turn for the best, cheers   

Hi guys, good point Macmole but the extra work to gain certified would not involve learning the old low pressure systems or Feltonmix shower valves, that should have been learned from other more experienced trades persons whilst doing maintenance when apprenticed to a company who covered a broad range of work. It’s unfortunate for apprentices if they get stuck with a company who specialise in housing only, from my own experience it was normal to work with a range of tradesmen doing all types of work from maintenance to major contracts, cheers

Some good thoughts everyone.  One of the big issues is that the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act 2006 defines what Sanitary Plumbing, Gasfitting and Drainlaying is. That's Our primary business and is what we should be teaching all apprentices. This is if they are city or country based. Training is the key and everyone should be taught the same. The industry drifted away on an unlawful path and had business management as a requirement to become a plumber, gasfitter or drainlayer. This has been corrected but now other subjects are creeping in. Don't get me wrong a lot of subjects are nice to have and benefit a lot of individuals but the majority of the country is in the business of being plumbers gasfitters or drainlayers. Lets get that right first and get people workplace competent then move on to the advanced subjects if they want. Protect the public by being competent plumbers gasfitters and drainlayers.   

hi all attached is a letter I sent to the board last year . its a bit of my opinion on this subject

hi , as far as I know anyone can own a plumbing company in nz . you don't have to have any training or background in our industry

hi guys,(hi , as far as I know anyone can own a plumbing company in NZ . you don't have to have any training or background in our industry)...Yeah that's fine but who is the mug who is going to sign off the work and take responsibility when things go wrong? while the boss swans around and makes the most money, I cant imagine that it happens, cheers