WorldSkills Australia 
Plumbing & Heating Competition
Plumbers install, maintain, and repair pipes and fixtures associated with heating, cooling, water distribution, and sanitation systems in residential and commercial buildings. Plumbers may also fix domestic appliances, such as dishwashers and gas cookers. Plumbers have the opportunity to interact with a wide range of different people as every day involves a new job, a new client and a new environment.
The WorldSkills Australia Plumbing and Heating Competition requires participants to utilise plumbing industry skills and knowledge. Competition tasks may include completing simulated installations of systems used within domestic, commercial and industrial buildings. The projects may include working with different piping systems, as well as clipping and installation of fixtures used in the plumbing industry.
YOU SHOULD PURSUE A CAREER IN PLUMBING & HEATING IF YOU:
- Have a mechanical aptitude
- Are interested in Building and Construction
- Are interested in practical, hands-on work
- Have problem solving skills
IT ALL BEGINS AT A REGIONAL COMPETITION
The WorldSkills Australia Plumbing & Heating Competitions begin at a grass roots level in one of 42 Australian regions. The Plumbing & Heating Regional Competitions test the skills and knowledge of 4000+ apprentices, trainees and students, who have the opportunity to win gold, silver and bronze medals and gain the chance to go on to compete at a national level.
WorldSkills Australia competitions operate on a two-year cycle. The next Plumbing & Heating Regional Competition rounds are now running across the country. 2023 and 2025 are the next National Championship years.
Register your interest to compete in Plumbing & Heating
The Plumbing & Heating Competition is supported by:
Training Package Requirements
The WorldSkills Australia Plumbing and Heating Competitions are aligned to the National Construction, Plumbing and Services Training Package.
Regional Competition
Training Package Requirements – Regional Level
The 2024 WorldSkills Australia Regional Competition in Plumbing and Heating aligns to the Units of Competency contained in the CPC32420 – Certificate III in Plumbing Qualification.
Regional Tasks
The Regional Competition will see competitors manufacture a project from a plan provided. The project consists of marking out the map of Australian Project from the plans provided. The Competitors are required to manufacture the pipework for the project and clip it to the board. The competition project is designed to test the Competitors skills in the following areas related to Plumbing and Heating:
- Planning and set out of work
- Installation of Evopex, Auspex and Rehau pipe and fittings
- Silver brazing of copper tube and fittings
- Machine bending and fabricating copper pipeline services.
- Installation of relevant plumbing and gas fitting components
- Carry out required testing procedures
- Working to accepted safety standard
- Read and Interpret Plans
- Read and interpret Australian Standards
- Working to specifications with a high degree of accuracy.
- Working within a specified time limit.
Regionals Competition Duration
The competition is completed in 5 hours over 1 day not including briefing or breaks.
National Competition
Training Package Requirements – National Level
The 2023 WorldSkills Australia National Competition in Plumbing and Heating aligns to the Units of Competency contained in the CPC32420 – Certificate III in Plumbing Qualification.
National Tasks
The National Competition will see Competitors test their trade skills in the design and fabrication of a simulated basic bathroom and laundry rough-in and fit out. The competition project is designed to test the Competitors skills in the following areas related to Plumbing and Heating:
- Planning and set out
- Machine bending
- Silver brazing,
- Flaring & expanding copper tube
- Jointing and fabricating pipes
- Electrofusion and butt welding
- Joining and fabricating pipes
- Jointing and fabricating press fit copper.
- Fabricating galvanized iron
- Installation of plumbing fixtures
- Installation of relevant plumbing and gas fitting components
- Working within specified accuracy tolerances
- Carry out required testing procedures
- Working to accepted safety standard
- Read and interpret plans
- Read and interpret Australian Standards
Nationals Competition Duration
The competition is completed in 18 hours over 3 days not including briefing or breaks.
Find out about training options
myskills website is the national directory of Vocational Education and Training (VET) organisations and courses.
Learn more about this course by following this link Certificate III in Plumbing