2025: a year of milestones?

Following the announcement that the CIPHE has been approved by IfATE to write the plumbing apprenticeship standards at both level 2 and level 3, a first for the Institute, but one that is a perfect fit for the only Professional Body and educational charity for the plumbing and heating industry, the New Year has also seen us hit two more significant numbers.

Find a Professional

In the last issue, I wrote about the fact that our membership offer now includes two ways to have a listing in our online consumer-focused Business Directory – one that is completely free within the cost of your membership and a second that allows for a premium listing for just £5 a month. We have already seen more than 100 members take advantage of this and the total number of members listing their services online is now well over 1,000. You can set up or expand your own listing by logging into your account at ciphe.org.uk.

WaterSafe

Additionally, on the topic of online listings, January 2025 also saw the number of CIPHE members who are registered with WaterSafe rise above 400 for the first time ever. If you have a Water Regulations qualification and are ACIPHE, MCIPHE or FCIPHE then you too could be eligible to register. The application process is available from the member-only area of the website.

Identifying the next generation of plumbers and heating engineers

It currently feels like there is nothing more important than identifying and inspiring the next generation of plumbers and heating engineers. There are many ways to do this and one of them is having fun.

In early February, CIPHE marketing manager Alanna Impey and I spent a fantastic two days at a Get Inspired Basingstoke event organised by careers guidance, work experience, employability skills and work-related learning specialists EBP South.

We had the amazing opportunity to connect with secondary school students aged 11 to 16, talking to them about the opportunities and exciting career pathways the plumbing and heating industry provides.

Of course, we also took in some fun with our poo-throwing game! Huge thanks to CIPHE Industrial Associates, Lecico Bathrooms for generously donating the toilet and The IPG for supplying the poos. I’m tempted to say you haven’t really laughed until you have done so with a queue of teenagers waiting for their turn to throw a fake poo into a toilet.

Insurance services for members

Following up on the information that you gave us during last year’s member research exercise is what led to the improvement of the online business directory service already referenced above. That is why we are also now running a competitive tender process to identify a partner who can provide professionally relevant insurance services. We will write to all members once a preferred supplier has been identified, and I will include a feature on them in an upcoming issue of P&H Engineering.

PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION WITH ENGINEERING COUNCIL

Congratulations to the following members who have each extended their professional achievements by successfully going through the process to become recognised as EngTech by Engineering Council:

• Mr Donald Lack EngTech FCIPHE RP
• Mr Louchavan Lemard EngTech MCIPHE RP
• Mr Pawel Lubczynski EngTech MCIPHE RP
• Mr Benjamin Zoezee EngTech MCIPHE RP
• Mr Neil Walker EngTech ACIPHE

Here at the CIPHE we have a member of staff who is dedicated to helping members achieve professional registration with Engineering Council. If you would like to find out more about how you can be recognised as an Engineering Technician, Incorporated Engineer or Chartered Engineer, email Clare Anthony on membership@ciphe.org.uk or ring 01708 463 116.