Upskilling for plumbers

Water heating is a major source of household energy use in Australia, after heating and cooling and appliances (see Your Home). With this training, you can help Victorians save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by upgrading to a hot water system that uses less energy.

This free training will equip registered and licensed plumbers and fourth-year plumbing apprentices in Victoria with the skills needed to design and install energy efficient heat pumps and solar hot water systems.

It is funded by Solar Victoria and has been developed by the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre and Master Plumbers and Mechanical Services Association of Australia.

What does the training cover?

Students who enrol in the training can expect to cover the following:

• Two nationally recognised Victorian units of competency found in the course 22292VIC – Course in Environmentally Sustainable Plumbing Technology:

1. VU21716 – Provide advice on energy efficient plumbing measures.
2. VU21723 – Install solar heated water systems.

• A non-accredited unit specifically dedicated to the design and installation of heat pump systems. This unit has been industry validated to ensure it complies with industry standards and benchmarks.

This training has been customised by the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre through consultation with industry and a training pilot funded by Solar Victoria.

Who can do the training?

You do not need to be working in Solar Victoria’s programs to do this training free of charge. This training is open to:

• registered and licensed plumbers in Victoria
• fourth-year plumbing apprentices in Victoria

When and how will it be delivered?

Training runs over two days and is delivered in a blended format of face-to-face and online learning across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. The below dates and locations are subject to change and we recommend you contact PICAC to confirm.

• 17-18 April, Narre Warren

How much does it cost?

This training is fully funded by Solar Victoria for eligible participants and offered free of charge.

How to enrol

To enrol, please visit the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre website or email info@picac.edu.au.

Any questions?

Please visit the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre website or email info@picac.edu.au with any questions about this training.

For information about other initiatives helping to grow Victoria’s clean energy workforce, see Training and workforce development.

About our commitment

Solar Victoria is investing $11 million to deliver a comprehensive training and workforce development program. Our aim is for solar industry workers to have the skills and capabilities to deliver our programs and to support growth.

Boosting training and workforce development will ensure Victoria has an ongoing supply of skilled workers to support growth in the renewable and clean energy sector.