A digital plumber training programme is set to transform plumber training in the industry, while providing Fourth Industrial Revolution skills to plumbers, in a bid to future proof businesses and drive water-saving habits across the country.

SqwidNet, the only licensed Sigfox operator in South Africa, has partnered with the country’s leading plumbing body, the Institute of Plumbing South Africa (IOPSA), to launch The Digital Plumber Training Programme, which is said to be a South African first.

The training programme was developed in collaboration with Internet of Things (IoT) company Macrocomm and utility services provider Ontec, with the objective of providing plumbers with the digital skills and practical know-how required to embrace the digital era, advance customer offerings and grow existing plumbing businesses.

“Plumbers sit at the forefront of the water challenges currently facing South Africa, but only a few know how digital solutions can eradicate many of these challenges,” says SqwidNet. “This training programme is designed to empower plumbers so they can digitise their current service to their customers, commercially evolve their offerings and drive adoption of smart water solutions.”

The Digital Plumber Training Programme designed by Macrocomm’s Smart Academy consists of two modules, a technical and installation module and a personal selling module, with the personal selling module focussing on the sales and business skills required to develop a business model and to market the digital-solution value to customers. 

IOPSA and the Plumbing Industry Registration Body (PIRB) have accredited the programme, with four Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points awarded to the technical and installation module and three CPD points credited to the personal selling module.   Plumbers require 25 CPD points per year to maintain their professional registration with PIRB. The programme aims to support and promote the continuous development of plumbers’ skills and knowledge, offering a novel way to remain relevant and compliant with registration requirements.

The training programme was originally developed as a hands-on, in-class programme but has subsequently been adapted to an online programme,  in line with new Covid-19 regulations.

Certified digital plumbers have the flexibility to bundle the offering as their own or develop partnerships and aims to develop the skills required to create consumer-friendly solutions that are easy to sell. It is focused on upskilling plumbers and assisting with the transition to IoT-based smart water solutions and also introduces them to South African Bureau of Standards-approved smart water solutions that leverage IoT to address water scarcity concerns.

As a complement to the Digital Plumber training programme, an off-the-shelf Sigfox-enabled smart water solution is also available. Designed and built with SqwidNet partners Macrocomm and Ontec, the solution is said to be intuitive, simple and cost-effective, allowing certified digital plumbers to take it directly to market. 

The smart water meter solution is designed to enable certified digital plumbers to convert ordinary water meters into smart water meters. It also enables the plumber and consumer to proactively manage leak detection, carry out timeous repairs and maintenance and implement strategies to reduce water consumption. 

The system is designed to detect water leaks and immediately alert the home- or business owner, thereby ensuring that the plumber is quickly notified and able to fix leaks effectively. The solution helps to prevent undetected leaks and associated financial costs, while also providing real-time awareness of water usage and consumption patterns over time.  The smart water solution is application-enabled, allowing users to set goals and monitor usage by means of a mobile device, with the long-term goal of changing consumers’ water-usage habits and improving water savings.