Certified course for plumbers
A new course tries to meet the need for trained plumbers on the field
The construction industry is in top gear now with several infrastructure, residential and institutional projects but it is also a fact that there is a huge need for a pool of technically-skilled people to design, implement and monitor the plumbing aspects of these projects.
However, nearly 85 per cent of the plumbers in the country are not technically trained, says S.P. Sree Kumar, director general of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), India, speaking to The Hindu Property Plus.
IAPMO has tie-ups with 22 education institutions in the country and offers a plumbing training programme. “There is a need to improve awareness, especially among budding engineers and architects, on the importance of plumbing. We get reports of building collapses and accidents. One of the causes for these can be wrong plumbing. We need to create a strategy to create awareness in the market.” he says.
IAPMO and the Indian Plumbing Association (IPA) have teamed up to offer four programmes at two levels. Two of the programmes target field-level plumbers, many of whom have picked up their skills while on the job or from their fathers. The course for both apprentice plumbers and trained master plumbers is of 240 hours duration.
IAPMO is looking for partners who will adopt different models such as earn-and-learn to train field-level plumbers. For diploma holders and graduates, who are in supervisory, system engineering and design roles, IAPMO has a 120-hour training programme. The course and standards incorporate the latest technologies and practices. The association is also interacting with the state and central governments.
In India, as of now, there is no mandatory regulation to adhere to a given set of codes, standards, and technology in plumbing.
Unless this is in place and plumbers are technically trained, it will be difficult to meet the increasing demands that come with designing sophisticated building projects.
A group of IPA members have formed the Indian Plumbing Skill Council to train candidates through the National Skill Development programme. IPA and IAPMO will be their knowledge partners
Inputs from M. Soundariya Preetha for The Hindu
