Training Needed To Become A Licensed Plumber
The word ‘plumbers’ is a generic term for anyone who is in the tradesmen business of laying and maintaining all forms of pipes. Pipelayers, pipefitters, steamfitters and plumbers all fall under this designation. Most of them are able to get their career or technical training through their local community college and then continue with on the job training through formal apprenticeships with a master plumber in the specialization of their choosing.
When it comes to tradesmen professions such as plumbers, formal apprenticeships are the best way for a person to get the most comprehensive training possible. These are administered by tradesmen unions that are usually locally based and their affiliate companies or they are offered by nonunion contractor organizations. Each of the specializations that fall under the general term of plumber has their own organization and apprenticeship and each one is a bit different from country to country.
A plumber’s apprenticeship can last between four to five years. The plumbers are taught on the job and they are paid for their training. They are also required to attend classroom training. Once again, the amount of classroom training required will differ from country to country. The classroom instruction should include things like: drafting; blue print reading; math; physics; chemistry; safety; and plumbing codes and regulations. While they are training on the job they will learn basic plumbing skills, how to use the tools of the trade safely and properly, and how to safely load and unload pipe and other materials. A good apprenticeship program will make sure that the student is given a thorough knowledge of all of the different types of plumbing jobs there are. Refining of their skills will happen on the job when their apprenticeship is over.
Licensing of plumbers is done on the state or community level and the requirements vary from area to area. Most places require two to five years of experience and the passing of an examination to prove that the plumber is knowledgeable in all aspects of the trade, including codes and regulations. Specialty positions within the plumbing occupation – such as plumbers who work on gas lines – will require additional training, testing, and licensing above and beyond that of a standard plumber.
Anyone wishing to enter the field of plumbers in a union of nonunion apprenticeship must be at least 18 years of age, in good medical condition, and free of the influence of drugs. Most programs require that the applicant have a high school diploma or equivalent. Classes in shop, general plumbing, math, drafting, computers, blueprint reading and physics are considered a good base education for plumbers. If the applicant received training in pipelaying, plumbing, or pipefitting while in the military, they could receive credit for having previous experience will enlisted.
Plumbers who have fulfilled all of the training and licensing requirements may go on to own and operate their own successful plumbing business and may even take on apprentice plumbers of their own upon reaching the status of Master Plumber or its equivalent.
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