Plumbing - Plumbing school taps into computer training

22/05/2008
Apprentices learning how to repair the nation's taps, radiators and water tanks are honing their skills with a computer game, it has been reported.

Train4Trade Skills' new plumbing course uses a virtual reality house alongside practical sessions and written theory to instruct students, according to industry publication Buildingtalk.

By using a computer representation of a house, trainee plumbers can practise skills such as repairing burst pipes, leaky radiators and overflowing water tanks safely and without risk of causing damage to property.

Mike Head, marketing manager for Train4Trade Skills, said that the computer element of the course backs up what the students had learn during the theory part and means that they are less likely to make mistakes when performing the repairs for real.

"The 'virtual house' is an important part of our blended learning plumbing course and has been enormously successful in helping students by giving them excellent visual recall of the steps necessary for the skill they are about to undertake," he explained.

Train4Trade Skills offers a range of courses for those looking to become a plumber, with advanced options providing training in renewable energy sources such as solar water heating.