Plumbing
If you are undertaking a plumbing apprenticeship and want to become fully licenced in Victoria, you must first successfully complete all stage 2 work units as detailed in the 20085VIC syllabus. Following successful complete of all stage 2 units you will need to sit an examination call the Journeyman examination.
What's involved?
The stage 2 units are:
- Gasfitting Theory
- Mechanical Services Theory
- Roofing Theory
- Water Supply Theory
- Waste Disposal and Drainage Theory
Sitting the test
To pass each module, you must obtain a minimum of 75%.
You will be given 2.5 hours, plus 15 minutes reading time to complete each module.
| Discliplines | Reference materials | What to bring |
|---|---|---|
| Gasfitting Theory (VAC785) - T57 | AS5601 2004 Australian Standards for Gas Installations A.S. 3814/A.G. 501 Industrial and Commercial Gas Fired Appliances – 2000. |
Silent battery operated non-programmable calculator |
| Mechanical Services Theory (VAE050) - T97 | RMIT – Plumbing Mechanical Services Puffett, R.J & Hossack, L.J, Plumbing Services. Mechanical Services. Air Conditioning. (Volume 4.) |
Silent battery operated non-programmable calculator A selection of coloured pens (red, green, blue & black) for design work. |
| Roofing Theory (VAF465) - T33 | A.S 3500.0 Glossary of Terms –1995 A.S 3500.3.1 – 1998 Stormwater Drainage – Performance Requirements. A.S 3500.3.2 – Stormwater Drainage – Acceptable Solutions A.S/NZS 3500.3.2003 – Stormwater Drainage SAA HB39 – 1997 Installation code for Metal Roofing & Wall Cladding. SAA/SNZ HB114: 1998 Guidelines for Design of Eaves & Box Gutters and amendments Plumbing Regulations 1998 (Reprint No 1) Statutory Rule No 148/1998 Adopted 23 August 2001. |
Silent battery operated non-programmable calculator |
| Waste Disposal and Drainage Theory - T27 AS/NZ 3500.1 – 2003 Water Services | A.S 3500.0 Glossary of Terms – 2003 A.S 3500.2.2 Sanitary Plumbing and Drainage – Acceptable Solutions – 2003 A.S 3500.3.2 Stormwater Drainage – Acceptable Solutions – 2003 Code of Practice – Septic Tanks Publication 451 1996 Plumbing Regulations 1998 (Reprint No 1) Statutory Rule No 148/1998 Adopted 23 August 2001. |
Silent battery operated non-programmable calculator |
| Water Supply Theory (VAG647) - T20 | AS/NZS 3500.0: 2003 Glossary of Terms AS/NZS 3500.1:2003 Water Services AS/NZS 3500.4:2003 Heated Water Services Plumbing Regulations 1998 (Reprint No 1) Statutory Rule No 148/1998 Adopted 23 August 2001 |
Silent battery operated non-programmable calculator A selection of coloured pens (red, green, blue & black) for design work. |
The examination, called the Journeyman examination, is a practically-based assessment. It involves one job (installation) from each of the six different plumbing disciplines:
- Gas A
- Gas B
- Water Supply
- Roofing
- Mechanical Services
- Sanitary.
To successfully pass the examination you must:
- achieve a minimum mark of 75% in each plumbing discipline
There are a number of different jobs from within each discipline and therefore each candidate will not necessarily undertake the same job.
To successfully complete the particular discipline, some jobs will require you to apply appropriate theoretical knowledge. You will need to draw upon this knowledge during the planning stage of the installation.
Usually, this information is available from the relevant Australian Standards and/or Codes of Practice. All jobs and installations must comply with the relevant Australian Standards and Codes of Practice.
There is a time allowance of 16 hours for the total assessment and the actual breakdown of time within the 16 hours will vary in accordance with your knowledge, experience and ability within each plumbing discipline.
For example, an apprentice may be employed by a company that is involved predominantly in the roofing area and therefore it is likely that he or she should be able to progress through the roofing area of the examination quicker and with less anxiety than the apprentice with more experience in the gas area.
Conversely the apprentice with more experience in gas is likely to complete that area of the examination quicker than the roofing apprentice. Given the different work experiences of individual apprentices, the Plumbing Industry Commission advises that the times for each job in the Journeyman examination are only approximate.
Sometimes, Plumbing Industry Commission examiners combine two areas within the same installation; for example, Gas B & Water Supply.
At the completion of each job:
- the examiner will mark your work, noting the time taken
- you will be required to strip out the installation, return all materials and equipment to the store and reinstate the work area to its original condition.
Journeyman Examination
You will be given 16 hours to complete the Journeyman Examination.
| Reference materials | What to bring |
|---|---|
All relevant Australian Standards and Codes of Practice. These are:
|
Candidates to use their own tools of trade apart from those supplied by the RTO. |
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