At a glance
- Soldier
- engineering
Could you look after all the Army’s heating and plumbing, all over the world? It’s a big job – but you’ll get great training and support.
- £18,687The minimum amount you’ll earn during training
- £23,496Your pay after completing basic trade training
- AgeFrom 16 years & 6 months to 35 years & 6 months
- QualificationsGCSEs

Heating and plumbing are vital in the Army. After all, every building, from bases to hospitals, needs to be warm and properly plumbed in. Your job will be to look after the systems at sites all over the world. We’ll teach you everything you need to know and you’ll be part of a friendly Army family, enjoying sports, Adventurous Training and more.
Plumber is a Technical role in the Royal Engineers. All the Royal Engineer soldier job roles are divided into 5 groups. When you apply to the Engineers, you will apply to the trade group rather than the specific trade.
The Corps of Royal Engineers allows the Army to work all over the world, whether it's involved in active combat or disaster relief. The Corps are ‘first in’, setting up bases ready for the rest of the Army to arrive and ‘last out’, closing down patrol bases and military camps. The Corps is at the forefront in disaster-relief operations, effecting rapid repairs to damaged infrastructure in stricken areas.
Key Responsibilities
Study plumbing and pipe fittings
Learn to install and maintain heating systems
Learn how to make heat-loss calculations
Become proficient in basic technical drawings
Have any questions? Talk with us

Regular (full time)
Entry requirements
Age:
From 16 years & 6 months to 35 years & 6 months
Qualifications:
Qualifications: GCSE Grade A–C/9-4 in at least English Language, Maths and one other subject
Basic physical fitness assessment:
Mid Thigh Pull 50kg
Medicine Ball Throw 3m
MSFT (beep test) level 7.5
Training for the role
Step 1
Your initial military training teaches you how to be a soldier, covering everything from fieldcraft to how to handle a rifle.
If you join as a Junior Soldier (under 17 years and 6 months), you’ll do a 23-week basic military training course at Harrogate.
If you join as a Regular Soldier (over 17 years and 6 months), you’ll do the regular 14-week adult basic training.
Step 2
You head to the Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment near Camberley, Surrey, for 12 weeks. Here, you learn military engineering skills, such as knots and lashings, demolition, mine warfare and bridge building. Finally, you go the Royal School of Military Engineering in Chatham, Kent, for 34 weeks. Here, you learn about water supply, heating systems and roofing. You also learn the basics of gas supply and appliances.
Qualifications you could get after training
Level 2 apprenticeship (NVQ Technical Certificate and Functional Skills) in Heating and Plumbing (City and Guilds)
Pay & benefits
Earn £18,687 a year during training. When you have completed 26 weeks' service or finished basic trade training – whichever comes first – your pay will rise to £23,496.
How to Apply
Once your online application has been approved, you'll meet with a local recruiter. This is your chance to tell us about the role that you're interested in. When you go to the Assessment Centre, you'll take tests - the results will show whether you'd be suitable for this role, or should consider a different role.