Alongside a record number of new apprenticeships for 2021/22 - 400 compared to 150 in 2020/21 - the proportion of female apprentices rose to 2.24% of the total, compared to 1.34% in the previous year.

Similarly, the proportion of apprentices of Black and Ethnic Minority (BAME) heritage has moved up from 0.67% of the total, to 0.75%.

Dale Thomson, apprentice training manager at the Scotland and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF), said: “Nine female apprentices, compared to just two in the previous year and three BAME apprentices compared to only one in 2020-21 is a clear indicator that we are slowly but surely moving in the right direction to improve the diversity of our sector.

“There is clearly still a long way to go but we find it encouraging that women, in particular, are increasingly enthusiastic about training to become qualified plumbers.”

Fiona Hodgson, chief executive of SNIPEF, said: “It is highly encouraging to witness a clear trend towards greater diversity in our sector.

“I am confident that as more and more individuals from diverse backgrounds elect to undertake a plumbing apprenticeship, they will act also as a spur to yet more women and people of BAME heritage to embrace the satisfaction and long-term earnings potential of becoming qualified to undertake such a socially responsible role.”