Plumbing & Heating apprentice
CALSTAN MECHANICAL LTD
Arundel (BN18 0UZ)
Closes on Friday 9 January 2026
Posted on 12 November 2025
Contents
Summary
Calstan Mechanical works predominantly in the rail infrastructure with the majority of works and projects being commercial. You will learn the trade from highly trained and experienced engineers. We have a team of 5 engineers supported by a team of office staff with an emphasis on quality, professionalism, reliability and working safely.
- Wage
-
£17,667 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Plumbing and domestic heating technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
8 site hours per day with 1 hour paid towards travel time. Shifts to be confirmed.
45 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 2 February 2026
- Duration
-
4 years
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
Apprentices working alongside Calstan Mechanical engineers can expect to start their day early, meet the engineer at an agreed location and travel to site in any number of areas. This could be in London, Kent or Sussex and sometimes further afield.
Dependant on the days work, the apprentice will be supporting our engineer:
- By having tools and materials on hand to assist with works
- Complete paperwork and carry out any tasks that our engineer feels the apprentice is capable of
- Assisting and shadowing servicing and PPM visits, reactive call outs, remedial and project works
Over time these tasks will multiply and apprentices can expect to carry out works with less supervision.
Although this will be a fast-paced position with early mornings, lots of travel and occasional night works, it will be incredibly rewarding and set the apprentice up for a strong start in this field.
Where you'll work
Unit 14
Ford Lane Business Park, Ford
Arundel
BN18 0UZ
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
CITY OF PORTSMOUTH COLLEGE
Training course
Plumbing and domestic heating technician (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Operate in a safe working manner by adhering to health and safety legislation, approved codes of practice and guidance and applying safe working practices.
- Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation and test of plumbing and domestic heating systems (cold water, hot water, central heating and sanitary appliances and pipework).
- Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation and test of rainwater systems.
- Plan tasks within plumbing and domestic heating systems industry.
- Identify and document hazards for the plumbing and domestic heating systems work. Apply control measures.
- Carry out commission and handover procedures and techniques on plumbing and domestic heating systems (cold water, hot water, central heating, sanitary appliances, and rainwater).
- Install, test, and commission, electrical and electrical control systems applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems.
- Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on the non-electrical components of plumbing and domestic heating systems.
- Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on electrical and electrical control systems applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems including industry safe isolation procedures.
- Decommission plumbing and domestic heating systems.
- Decommission electrical and electrical control systems applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems.
- Plan, size and select cold and hot systems to meet customer’s needs in accordance with manufacturers guidance, regulatory requirements and industry recognised standards and procedures.
- Plan, size and select domestic heating and rainwater systems to meet customers' needs in accordance with manufacturers' guidance, regulatory requirements and industry recognised standards and procedures.
- Carry out and apply the common installation processes and techniques used in the installation and maintenance of natural gas systems (up to 35mm R1¼) and natural gas fired hot water and central heating appliances (up to 70kW net heat input) in the workplace.
- Install, purge, test, commission and handover low pressure natural gas systems (up to 35mm R1¼) and natural gas fired hot water and central heating appliances (up to 70kW net heat input).
- Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on low pressure Natural Gas systems (up to 35mm R1¼) and Natural Gas fired hot water and central heating appliances (up to 70kW net heat input).
- Decommission (including disconnection and dismantling) low pressure Natural Gas systems (up to 35mm R1¼) and Natural Gas fired hot water and central heating appliances (up to 70kW net heat input).
- Plan, size and select low pressure Natural Gas systems (up to 35mm R1¼) and Natural Gas fired hot water and central heating appliances (up to 70kW net heat input).
- Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation of air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
- Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation of solar thermal systems.
- Test, commission and handover air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
- Test, commission and handover solar thermal systems.
- Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
- Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on solar thermal systems.
- Decommission (including disconnection and dismantling) air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
- Decommission (including disconnection and dismantling) solar thermal systems.
- Plan, size and select air source heat pump (non-refrigerant circuits) systems.
- Plan, size and select solar thermal systems.
- Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation of plumbing (above 28mm) and non-domestic plumbing pipework.
- Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation of plumbing (above 28mm) and non-domestic plumbing systems and appliances (cold water systems, hot water systems, sanitary appliances and pipework systems and rainwater systems).
- Test, commission and handover plumbing pipework (above 28mm) and non-domestic plumbing systems and appliances in the workplace. (cold water systems and sanitary appliances and pipework systems).
- Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on plumbing (above 28mm) and non-domestic plumbing systems and appliances.
- Decommission (including disconnection and dismantling) plumbing (above 28mm) and non-domestic plumbing systems and appliances.
- Operate in a safe working manner by adhering to health and safety legislation, approved codes of practice and guidance and applying safe working practices.
- Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation and test of plumbing and domestic heating systems (cold water, hot water, central heating and sanitary appliances and pipework).
- Carry out and apply the common processes and techniques used in the installation and test of rainwater systems.
- Plan tasks within plumbing and domestic heating systems industry.
- Identify and document hazards for the plumbing and domestic heating systems work. Apply control measures.
- Carry out commission and handover procedures and techniques on plumbing and domestic heating systems (cold water, hot water, central heating, sanitary appliances, and rainwater).
- Install, test, and commission, electrical and electrical control systems applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems.
- Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on the non-electrical components of plumbing and domestic heating systems.
- Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on electrical and electrical control systems applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems including industry safe isolation procedures.
- Decommission plumbing and domestic heating systems.
- Decommission electrical and electrical control systems applicable to plumbing and domestic heating systems.
- Plan, size and select cold and hot systems to meet customer’s needs in accordance with manufacturers guidance, regulatory requirements and industry recognised standards and procedures.
- Plan, size and select domestic heating and rainwater systems to meet customers' needs in accordance with manufacturers' guidance, regulatory requirements and industry recognised standards and procedures.
Training schedule
What attendance is required?
- Delivered on a day-release basis (one day per week) at City of Portsmouth College's North Harbour Campus in North Harbour, PortsmouthTime spent training will come under the working hours per week.
- Your Apprenticeship Liaison Officer and on site assessor will liaise with you to set up mutually convenient times for reviews and assessment visits at your place of work
More training information
What does the programme include?
- Plumbing & domestic heating technicians’ design, select, plan and install, service, maintain and commission plumbing and domestic heating systems
- All technicians will be required to work on typical plumbing elements such as hot and cold-water systems and storage, supplies to dwellings and associated pipework, above-ground pipework, connection to below-ground, sanitary pipework, fittings and furniture. Appliances and equipment can include central heating boilers, bathroom furniture, sanitary appliances, drainage and rainwater systems and environmental systems (e.g. solar, air source). Further to that, technicians will specialise in one of three areas in their fourth year
Learning and assessment:
This is an integrated qualification which means both the qualification and apprenticeship should be completed, passed and awarded during the same period. On the fourth year of the apprenticeship the Gas option incorporates the requirements for the Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS) and is an industry recognised and mandatory entry route for gas engineers to attain the necessary qualifications and competence required to work under the Gas Safe Register. The following qualifications apply:
- CCN1 – Core domestic gas safety
- CENWAT –Domestic gas central heating boilers and water heaters
- Integrated unvented hot water
- or other equivalent qualifications which meet the relevant Matters of Gas Safety requirements equivalent to the above.
The apprentice must apply to join the Gas Safe Register and is required to meet the requirements of gas safe registration on successful completion of the CCN1 and CENWAT or equivalent qualifications.
Potential other options to choose on the fourth year are:
- Oil boilers
- Solid fuel and biomass
- Environmental (air source and solar thermal)
Practical assessment with questions: You will be observed by an independent assessor completing a set of tasks. It will last 12 hours. They will ask you at least 3 questions. Alongside this you will also have to complete your ACS assessments, which can last up to 3-4 days (if choosing the gas option for fourth year).
Interview underpinned by a portfolio of evidence: You will have an interview with an independent assessor. It will last at least 45 minutes and they will ask you at least 6 questions. The questions will be about certain aspects of your occupation. You need to compile a portfolio of evidence before the EPA gateway. You can use the portfolio to help answer the assessors questions.
Multiple-choice test: You will complete a multiple-choice test. It will be closed book, meaning you will not have access to any books or reference materials. The test will have 40 multiple-choice questions. You will have 60 minutes to complete it.
The length of the training for this apprenticeship is typically 48 months. The EPA period is typically 3 months.
The overall grades available for this apprenticeship are:
- Fail
- Pass
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4/C/Functional Skills Level 2)
- Maths (grade 4/C/Functional Skills Level 2)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Administrative skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
An applicant in the Portsmouth area would be ideal logistically. Driving licence and own transport would be a benefit for meeting engineers or with a willingness to use public transport where necessary.
About this employer
Calstan Mechanical works predominantly in the rail infrastructure with the majority of works and projects being commercial. We could be called out to anything from a leaking tap or faulty radiator to a gas or water leak in a major plant room. New plantroom installations are undertaken often. We look after some high-end domestic properties and have recently carried out a project at a grade II listed hotel in Hastings. We have a team of 5 engineers supported by a team of office staff with an emphasis on quality, professionalism, reliability and working safely.
http://www.calstan.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
• 23 days holiday per year plus bank holidays • Auto enrolment pension from aged 22, earning over £10,000. 5% employee contributions, 3% employer • Death in service insurance – 4 x salary • Cycle to work scheme • Childcare Vouchers
After this apprenticeship
- Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship, and subject to progress as an employee, you can expect to continue your career growth and training with Calstan Mechanical. Additional courses will be provided where necessary, including PTS (Personal Track Safety) for rail works, PASMA & IPAF for use of access equipment and any other courses required for the role
- The right candidate with a willingness to learn and commitment to progressing within the business could set their sights on becoming a fully qualified Commercial Gas Engineer in the future
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
CITY OF PORTSMOUTH COLLEGE
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000000175.
Apply now
Closes on Friday 9 January 2026
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