Over three quarters (78%) of plumbers and heating installers believe that apprenticeships are vital to encourage the next generation into plumbing and heating, according to new research.
The survey, conducted in March 2025 by City Plumbing, part of Highbourne Group, found that those who hire apprentices are largely motivated by experience and professional values. Four in ten (41%) say they enjoy training and mentoring new talent, while 37% previously completed an apprenticeship themselves and understand how valuable the route is. Another 37% say apprentices help their business grow.
The findings are part of the plumbing and heating merchant’s Taking the Temperature report, which surveyed 500 UK plumbers and heating installers. The study also revealed that 74% of installers currently employ, or have previously employed, apprentices, demonstrating that apprenticeships are deeply embedded in how many trade businesses develop skills and plan for the future.
The results also point to a generational divide in apprentice hiring, with more than 80% of installers aged under 35 saying they work with or hire apprentices, compared with just half of those aged 55 or older.
However these results are undermined by an analysis of data from the Department for Education, the Office of National Statistics (ONS), and job-board site Reed across UK trade sectors, which reveals where the skills crisis is most severe and why training pathways are under strain.
The newly published Apprenticeship Gap Report has identified that less than half of people across trades in the building industry (including P&H) are completing their apprenticeships, while the electrical, plumbing and heating trades see a deficit of 9,700 and 2,000 positions unfilled, respectively, for the year ahead.
Commenting on the research, Rachel Baldwin, Chief People Officer at Highbourne Group, said: “Our Taking the Temperature research shows that apprenticeships are part of the trade’s DNA. Most installers who hire apprentices do so because they value passing on their skills, they take pride in mentoring, and many came through the route themselves.
“Ahead of National Apprenticeship Week (9-15 February 2026), these findings highlight that while apprenticeship policies and funding models will continue to evolve, what does not alter is the need for experienced tradespeople to bring new people into the industry. The long-term health of plumbing and heating depends on practical, workplace training and strong links between today’s installers and tomorrow’s workforce.”
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