It can be useful to check out which plumbing courses a professional has completed to see whether they will be a competent professional, it has been claimed.

The Liverpool Daily Post made this suggestion as one of several tips to finding a good plumber, with one of the other recommendations being to hire someone who works locally, since they may be more familiar with the systems used in the area.

One of the most important things the publication encouraged individuals to do was to see how long a tradesman has been in the profession, with their completion of plumbing courses being a potential indicator of this.

"Be sure to look at the level of experience and training a plumber has before making the decision to hire," noted the newspaper.

Another issue it urged consumers to ask tradesmen is the procedures they are qualified to carry out, which may also be reflected in the plumbing courses they have taken.

Last week, the Northern Echo highlighted how students over the age of 24 may no longer benefit from free vocational courses under current government proposals.

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