DAB Pumps Partners with South Devon College to Give Plumbing Students a Head Start
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10 Jun 2026 ]
Walk into the plumbing workshops at South Devon College and you will find something that sets this department apart: students getting hands-on with the same equipment they are likely to see on their very first day in the job.
That has taken another step forward. DAB Pumps UK, a world-leading name in water technology, has donated an ESYBOX and ESYTANK pressurisation system to the college. This is the kind of kit found in homes, businesses and buildings right across Devon and beyond. For the students training in Paignton, it means learning on up-to-date, industry-standard equipment, not something that bears little resemblance to what they will find on site.
South Devon College’s plumbing department has built a strong reputation for training tradespeople who are ready to work. Purpose-built workshops, proper trade facilities and close links with local employers have already made a real difference to how students learn. This donation builds on that, giving students the chance to get to grips with modern pressurisation systems in a workshop setting and to build the kind of practical confidence that a qualification alone does not always bring.
Will, a plumbing student at South Devon College, presents a new ESYBOX electronic pressurisation system ahead of installation training.
Close-up view of a DAB Water Technology pump unit used in plumbing and water system training.
Dean Bowden, Head of Construction and Built Environment at South Devon College, said: “We are extremely grateful to DAB Pumps UK for this generous contribution. Integrating this system into our teaching workshops will give our students hands-on experience with advanced pressure boosting technology, helping them to understand installation, operation, and maintenance.
“Partnerships like this are crucial. They ensure that our curriculum remains relevant and aligned with current industry practices, while also giving students the confidence to work independently on professional-grade systems.”
The results are already being felt by students. Zach, currently studying plumbing at the college, said: “Having access to the system in the workshop has been invaluable. It’s given me practical experience of systems we commonly encounter in the industry, improving my understanding of operation, fault finding and safe working practices. It has really increased my confidence when dealing with similar systems on site.”
Zach’s experience is a good example of something the college has understood for a long time: there is a big difference between knowing how something works and being able to do it. Partnerships like this one help bridge that gap.
Demand for qualified plumbers and heating engineers across Devon is growing. From Torbay to Exeter, local employers want new starters who can hit the ground running, not people who need months of catching up once they arrive on site. By making sure students train on equipment they will actually use in the real world, South Devon College is helping to fill that need and build a stronger local workforce.
Adam Ferneyhough, Country Director for the UK & Ireland at DAB Pumps, added: “At DAB Pumps, we believe the best way to support the future of the industry is to invest in the people coming into it. By giving students access to the kind of systems they will encounter in homes and commercial buildings, we are helping bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world experience. We are proud to support South Devon College to give students greater confidence and practical experience, helping prepare the next generation of engineers for the workplace.”
The partnership between DAB Pumps and South Devon College shows what can happen when businesses and colleges work together properly, not just to produce people with the right certificates, but skilled tradespeople who are ready to get to work from day one. For more information about plumbing and construction courses at South Devon College, visit: Plumbing – South Devon College
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