Plumbing skills development for a healthy future

The modern plumbing industry in Scotland developed as a result of the poor sanitary conditions of the 19th and early 20th centuries. It continues to develop into the 21st century with an increasing emphasis on accurate technological skills underpinned by well honed practical craft skills. This skills training is as a result of a competency-based education and assessment system pioneered by Scotland’s Colleges. The competency-based system allows an analysis of practical and technical skills required for plumbing, water supply and sanitation tasks. Each skill identified is taught and assessed by College staff working closely with the Scottish plumbing industry to ensure skills required by emerging technologies are integrated and that public health is protected. The experience of the Scottish plumbing industry combined with the considerable expertise in skills development of the Scottish colleges sector has the potential to make a major contribution to water and sanitation in international development and a healthy future. The competency-based model used in Scotland’s Colleges ensures that training is aligned to the current and projected needs of industry.

Competency-based vocational training rests on a partnership between industry and training providers – in Scotland, the College sector and the National Awarding Body, SQA, along with employers organisations, such as SNIPEF and BPEC for the plumbing sector, work to ensure that training is aligned to the needs of each industry sector. Scotland’s recent developments in plumbing and water safety means that Scotland’s training systems for plumbing is appropriate for contextualization and adaptation by developing countries and for disaster relief work. A competence-based training system can be an effective and efficient means of raising the skills level of the workforce in developing countries. The history of training in the plumbing sector in Scotland is one example of this training approach in action. A competency-based training framework can be used in a training environment or in the workplace; lessons learned in Scotland show that an increased number of trainers can also be produced fairly rapidly to cascade training and promote sustainability. The authors believe that this training model is appropriate for international development education, using a knowledge transfer/capacity building approach. It can easily and quickly be contextualized for use overseas. The health benefits of plumbing improvements are well documented. The centrality of effective training processes is less thoroughly researched. Scotland’s approach is ready to be piloted in an international development context, and this will be a key strategic goal for Scotland’s Colleges. We look forward to contributing to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals through this effort.