Students looking for futureproof careers are turning to the plumbing industry as the UK’s chronic skills shortage makes hands-on industries more desirable than ever.

Shortages in skilled tradespeople such as plumbers, welders and electricians is one of the biggest factors in the country’s ongoing housing crisis.

And students training with Engineering Real Results have told how the healthy job prospects, attractive salaries and flexible working conditions are among the reasons they are pursuing a career in plumbing.

Piotr Michalik, aged 46, from Doncaster, previously worked as a chef, as an engineer and as a HGV driver, before deciding to pursue a career in plumbing after a much-needed home repair left him freezing cold.

placeholder image — Piotr Michalik, aged 46, from Doncaster.

He said: "A few years ago my boiler broke during winter and I had to wait three months for someone to come and fix it, I couldn't find anyone to do it sooner.

"I was reading online about the big shortage of skilled people such as gas engineers and plumbers in the UK and began to think about pursuing a career with a trade.

"That's where I got the idea of becoming a plumber, as it is something I am interested in and I know there are good job opportunities.

“A big part of the appeal for me is that it is a career that is very in-demand right now, and will also continue to be in the future.

“We will always need plumbers to do work in homes and buildings, so it is a job that has good security for the future, as well as good salaries and flexible working.”

Vishal Solanki, aged 35, from Birmingham, said: “There’s a big shortage of plumbers in the UK right now and it’s a big part of the reason I decided to pursue this career.

“I was working in retail before but I wanted a job that had higher salaries and more flexibility. I wanted a secure career for the future, too.

“It is definitely a big factor knowing that plumbing is a job that will still be in big demand in twenty or thirty years.”

Engineering Real Results (ERR) specialises in providing trades skills and training. It places students at development sites where they can work on live projects to enhance their experience and gain NVQ qualifications.

It has training centres up and down the country including West Yorkshire, Southampton, Wolverhampton, Hertfordshire and Essex.

And ERR is helping fill the skills gap that currently exists in the UK, which is affecting vital industries such as construction and renewable energy.

It is estimated the country needs another one million new skilled tradespeople in the next decade to address the shortfall.

It means homeowners are facing longer waits to have jobs such as boiler repairs, electrical installations and plumbing repairs.

Neil James, plumbing assessor at ERR, said: “The generation of people who are coming out of school at the moment are more focussed on gaming and computer coding than they are on traditional trades such as plumbing and gas engineering.

“The world of work is changing very fast and a lot of jobs are centred around technology, but people with hands-on skills such as plumbers are needed as much as ever.

“If we want the country to thrive, we need to address the shortfall in skilled tradespeople or we will arrive at a point where there’s nobody to install your boiler, fix your plumbing or install the electrics in your home.

“It means plumbing is a great industry to be getting into right now because the shortage of available workers means those who are trained have plenty of work, good salaries and security for the future.”