How long before a major health scare?

The Australian Gas Light Co, a public company, and a public utility, with specific social responsibilities, has been allowed to cut inspections of all gas installations and has drastically reduced the number of skilled gasfitters employed directly.

How long before a major accident?

Of course there is the Dept. of Fair Trading under the banner of Consumer Affairs, which issues all licences to the building industry and associated services. This Dept. might be expected to take over the responsibility of protecting the consumer, however it has been progressively reduced in size and has few if any personnel skilled enough to investigate complaints relating to our industry.

Add to this TAFE's apparent refusal to look ahead and see that over the next 4-5 years there will be a massive shortage of experienced plumbing teachers. The number of full time plumbing teachers employed by NSW TAFE is currently 90. Of these 43 are aged between 50 and 60 years of age, 17 are between 55 and 60 years of age and 4 are over 60 years of age. At least 21 of these teachers are due to retire very soon. With these figures at their disposal the 'managers' of various TAFE Institutes still display a lack of interest in employing and training replacement plumbing teachers.
Note: In 1990 TAFE employed 130 teachers.
Also the latest cuts in TAFE by both Federal and State governments amounting to $67 million dollars resulted in an approximate 20% cut in funding to plumbing training at one TAFE College alone.

WHERE TO FROM HERE?

Perhaps a new 'Plumbing Training, regulatory and Advisory Organisation'.
It could be a body made up of a partnership with TAFE and private industry which could have one major controlling facility in Sydney at a central location with some metropolitan and country centres.
This new body could be set up to train and regulate all facets of the plumbing industry using the new National Core Curriculum and modern teaching methods such as competency based training and flexible delivery.
It could be governed by an advisory board made up of representatives from some or all of the following:

• TAFE
• The Master Plumbers & Mechanical Contractors Association
• The Plumbers division. Communications, Electrical, Plumbing Union
• Institute of Plumbing NSW
• Fire Protection Industry Association
• Gas Industry such as AGL, AGA & ALPGA
• Metal Roofing and cladding Industry
• Department of Fair Trading
• Sydney Water
• The Association of Hydraulic Services Consultants Australia (AHSCA)

This new body's functions could include:

• Training of apprentices in the plumbing and related trades to trade level.
• Training of plumbers to licensing level (Fee for service). The fee could be paid for, partly in advance, and partly through a loading on the licence fee for a determined number of years. Some country students could be trained through a renewed co-operation with OTEN and reduced attendance blocks.
• Running "Commercial Activities" courses such as Thermostatic Mixing Valve's Plumbing Backflow Prevention AS 3500 & The NSW Code of Practice update for licensed plumbers AG601, AG501 and the Natural Gas rules update for licensed Gasfitters Advanced Liquefied Petroleum Gasfitting Water filter installations Domestic and residential fire services Diploma in Plumbing Design Lead skills in roof flashing Plus many others as called for by industry needs.
• The issuing of all plumbing, draining, Gasfitting and associated licences and trade registrations and maintaining a database with the authority to suspend or cancel licences if required. Note. TAFE plumbing training already ensures through training and testing that plumbers are qualified to be issued with registration and licences, so why not collect the fees and use them for the industry's benefit.
• Ensuring the Registration of all plumbing apprentices in NSW through the New Apprenticeship Centres. NAC's
• Supplying 'on-site assessment' programs for the industry.
• Supplying 'Off site assessment' programs for when it is not practical to assess 'on site'.
• Providing an Inspection and advisory service for plumbers, builders, banks and finance companies, insurance companies and property purchasers for plumbing, draining and Gasfitting installations where requested.
• Supplying facilities for Industry Seminars such as manufacturers showing and demonstrating new products.

• Federal and State Government funding as for TAFE
• Administration fees for trade level courses
• Licensing Fees
• Commercial Activity courses as listed, including the Plumbing advanced course for licensing and perhaps any repeats in trade course.
• Industry seminars
• On-site assessing service
• Off-site assessing service
• Inspection and Advisory service for various clients.

ADVANTAGES

• Cheaper training costs for the NSW State Government
• The Plumbing industry involved in self-regulation and training.
• Reduction in duplication of expensive facilities. There are currently eight TAFE Colleges teaching plumbing in the metropolitan area.
• Centralised purchasing of expensive materials
• More efficient use of plumbing teachers by reducing duplication of developmental work. Since the abolition of the Plumbing School system in TAFE NSW there has been no successful mechanism for productive communication between TAFE College plumbing sections. This leads to a non-standard course content and delivery.
• The centralising and standardising of a sensible procedure for recruitment, promotion and transfer. This did not seem to be evident in the recent recruitment for head teachers and teachers at the some Institutes recently.
• A reduction of the exploitation of youth by a minority of employers by ensuring that all plumbing apprentices being trained are registered.
• Recognition of prior learning for students who are already capable in certain areas which would reduce unnecessary training costs.
• Industry participation more co-ordinated preventing repetitive management. A more focussed management of the regulating and training in our industry in place of, in some instances, management by promoted academics with little or no plumbing and/or business experience.

"Plumbers Protect The Health Of The World."