SkillPLUMB 2026 open for entries
Talented student plumbers are being encouraged to enter this year’s SkillPLUMB competition. The registration window is open now and runs until 27 March.
During the competition, entrants will be judged on a series of challenging practical tests in a bid to be named the 2026 SkillPLUMB champion. The event is the only industry competition aligned to the WorldSkills UK network; those who do well at UK level may have the chance to compete internationally at the next WorldSkills event in Aichi, Japan, in 2028.
All those who register will take part in an initial practical task carried out at the competitor’s college or training provider. This work will be tutor-assessed and then the scores and evidence will be moderated by SkillPLUMB and WorldSkills UK. Those who are successful will be invited to one of the UK-wide qualifying heats taking place across May and June. The top scoring competitors from all qualifying heats combined will be invited to compete in the UK grand final, which this year will be taking place in South Wales in November, along with around 50 other WorldSkills UK national competitions.
SkillPLUMB is open to apprentices and Level 2 or 3 plumbing students. The event, designed to promote and showcase high standards and skills across the plumbing industry, is organised by the BPEC Charity and has Ideal Heating as its headline sponsor.
Neil Collishaw, BPEC Chief Executive, said:
“We are proud to organise SkillPLUMB and BPEC is committed to supporting the regional, national and international plumbing skills competitions as a means of showcasing the best in apprenticeship training. Each year the quality demonstrated by our industry’s student plumbers is astounding; we look forward to the excellent standards we’ll be witnessing from competitors again this year.”
The SkillPLUMB section of the BPEC website has more information on the competition, an in-house training task to help prepare competitors, and details on the events taking place across the UK.
