In the next eight years the plumbing industry is expected to grow by 16 percent according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. The plumbing industry is one of the highest paid trades in the construction industry with pay ranging from $13 per hour to $30 per hour.
Most plumbers receive training through an apprenticeship program. Apprenticeship programs are sponsored by plumber’s unions and contractors associations.
The following unions or contractor associations sponsor apprenticeship programs for plumbers: the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada; local employers of either the Mechanical Contractors Association of America, the National Association of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors; National Fire Sprinkler Association; the Associated Builders and Contractors; the National Association of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors; the American Fire Sprinkler Association; and the Home Builders Institute of the National Association of Home Builders.
There exist five subcategories of plumbers. Plumbers usually specialize in water, gas, or waste systems. Plumbers install and maintain pipe systems for water, waste, drainage and gas systems in homes and industrial buildings. In addition, plumbers install plumbing fixtures in bathrooms and kitchens and appliances such water heaters, waste disposers, and dishwashers.
Pipelayers lay a variety of different types of pipe like clay, cast iron or plastic for sewage lines, water mains and gas in housing developments and commercial buildings. They primarily work outside and use heavy equipment to install the pipe.
Pipefitters install and repair both high and low pressure pipe systems in a manufacturing setting. The systems usually concern the generation of electricity, cooling, or heating. Steamfitters work to install or repair high pressure systems that deal in the movement of liquid or gasses.
Finally the sprinklerfitters install and repair automatic fire suppression sprinklers in homes and commercial buildings. They work on anything to do with fire sprinklers in buildings and homes.
Plumbers get certified mostly through apprenticeship programs and receive most training through on the job training vice formal class room instruction. Most apprenticeship programs require at least 2,000 hours of on the job training per year for four to five years and 144 classroom hours per year. Classroom instruction occurs during the evenings. To become an apprentice the applicant must be a high school graduate, possess a GED, and be 18 years of age.
An apprenticeship program allows an apprentice to gain valuable on the job training while being closely supervised by a certified plumber. The apprentice program is often described as an “earn while you learn” program because apprentices get paid while they are going through the program. This advantage to being an apprentice makes the program very competitive to enter.
Trade schools are an option for learning a trade. The problem with apprenticeship programs is that they last for at least four to five years and they have limited spaces to be filled. Vocational programs and community colleges usually are not impacted and may provide valuable training. Many students go to community colleges and vocational schools to improve certain skills prior to entering an apprenticeship program.
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