Plumbing Careers

Plumbing careers offer many career options. Pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters follow building plans or blueprints and instructions from construction supervisors, layout the job correctly, and work efficiently with the materials and tools of their trade.

Construction | Architecture/Drafting | Carpentry | Electrician | Engineering |Home Inspector |Welding | Plumbing |

Residential plumbers go to homes to unclog drains or install appliances. Pipefitters, and steamfitters install, maintain, and repair many different types of pipe systems e.g. city water and sewer systems, gas company pipes, etc. Request more information from Penn Foster Career School and Ashworth University.

Education and Training

Residential and industrial plumbers get their training in career and technical schools or community colleges and from on-the-job training. Pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters working for commercial enterprises are usually trained through formal apprenticeship programs. While there are no uniform national licensing guidelines, most states require plumbers to be licensed, which includes passing an examination testing knowledge and plumbing codes. Apprenticeships usually last for four to five years and include 144 hours of coursework in reading specifications, drafting, sketching, math, practical science, safety procedures, regulations that govern plumbing careers, and building codes.

Plumbers typically specialize in one of five areas. Pipelayers lay clay, concrete, plastic, and cast-iron pipe for drains, sewers, water mains, and oil or gas lines. Pipelayers prepare and grade the trenches either manually or with machines, before laying the pipe. After laying the pipe, pipelayers weld, glue, cement or join the pipe pieces together. Plumbers install and repair the water, waste disposal, drainage, and gas systems in homes and commercial and industrial buildings; they also install plumbing fixtures (bathtubs, showers, sinks, toilet) and appliances (dishwashers and water heaters). They also work with high- and low-pressure pipe systems used in manufacturing, in the generating electricity, and in heating and cooling systems of buildings. Steamfitters install pipe systems that move liquids or gases under high pressure, while sprinklerfitters install automatic fire sprinkler systems in buildings.

Expected Salary

Generally, apprentices start at of at about 50% of the wage rate paid to experienced pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, with hourly wages increasing as skills improve. Pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters are among the highest paid construction occupations, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Median hourly income for pipelayers in May 2004 was $13.68, the middle 50% earned $11.05- $18.69, the lowest 10% earned less than $9.19. The highest 10 percent earned more than $25.07. Median hourly wages were $19.85. The middle 50% earned $15.01- $26.67, the lowest 10% earned less than $11.62, and the highest 10% earned more than $33.72. Some industries pay those in plumbing careers as follows:

• Natural gas distribution $23.86
• Nonresidential building construction $21.55
• Building equipment contractors $19.85
• Utility system construction $18.29
• Local government $16.30

Career Growth

Job opportunities for the plumbing professions are expected to be excellent, as demand for skilled pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters is expected to outpace the supply of workers trained in this craft. Employment of pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters is expected to grow about as fast as average for all occupations through the year 2014, with demand for plumbers stemming from new construction and building renovation.

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