How do you become a plumber?

[DawnM]

I know, dumb question, but I am honestly not sure.

Is it better to look for a apprenticeship job on Indeed and go in entry level and get trained through them?

Is it better to take classes at the CC and get certified first?

My son is expressing interest and we don't know any plumbers!  None.  So "just find someone who is a plumber and have him shadow him and talk to him" isn't an option.  

Is there another way I am not considering?   

Thanks.

[Melissa in Australia]

Here the only way is an apprenticeship. 

Here apprenticeships are very hard to get. 

People can do a preaprenticeship course to try and improve their chances and many students at year 10 do work experience placement with all sorts of trades on the hope of getting an apprenticeship 

[DawnM]

Just now, Melissa in Australia said:

Here the only way is an apprenticeship. 

Here apprenticeships are very hard to get. 

People can do a preaprenticeship course to try and improve their chances and many students at year 10 do work experience placement with all sorts of trades on the hope of getting an apprenticeship 

WHOAH!   What do you mean improve their chances?   Is there a test or something?

[Melissa in Australia]

No 

Sometimes a trade person might need extra labour for a job, they might approach the preaprenticeship school and get a promising person for a few weeks. The tradesperson might like them and give them an apprenticeship. The course gives them the training of the first year. 

 

[pinball]

7 minutes ago, DawnM said:

I know, dumb question, but I am honestly not sure.

Is it better to look for a apprenticeship job on Indeed and go in entry level and get trained through them?

Is it better to take classes at the CC and get certified first?

My son is expressing interest and we don't know any plumbers!  None.  So "just find someone who is a plumber and have him shadow him and talk to him" isn't an option.  

Is there another way I am not considering?   

Thanks.

@Quill

@Indigo Blue

I think Their husbands are plumbers. Perhaps they can chime in?

[Guest]

14 minutes ago, DawnM said:

I know, dumb question, but I am honestly not sure.

Is it better to look for a apprenticeship job on Indeed and go in entry level and get trained through them?

Is it better to take classes at the CC and get certified first?

My son is expressing interest and we don't know any plumbers!  None.  So "just find someone who is a plumber and have him shadow him and talk to him" isn't an option.  

Is there another way I am not considering?   

Thanks.

Im guessing this is for DS born ‘04? (My youngest is ‘04 as well) I would have him try to get a job as a Plumber’s Helper, under a Master Plumber. Once he is working for a Plumber’s Helper (this is Maryland Dept of Licensing info; don’t know how it differs elsewhere), he can apply for an Apprenticeship license. The Master plumber vouches for the number of hours he served under apprenticeship. It’s a lot of hours, so it will be over a few years. But once they get the hours under a MP, they can apply for Journeyman’s license. 

If, say, next year or the following, he is really thinking this is what he wants for a career, he could start taking whatever classes the community college offers, or he could pursue a bachelor’s in business management or finance or whatever s helpful and, if he does get a Master’s, he can operate his own business, which is generally more earning potential than being a company plumber. 

My son applied for his Apprenticeship card and is working with dh this summer (and presumably the next two summers and whenever else he can). He still plans to go to college and I don’t necessarily plan for him to become a plumber but since he’s working under dh anyway, we both agreed it was a good idea for him to accrue hours. 

[Guest]

You’ll want to visit your state’s Board of Licensing, where you can see the steps needed in your state. I honestly have no idea how different it is in other states. You can probably even get there just googling, “How do I get a plumbing apprenticeship card in *my state*?” 

[DawnM]

2 minutes ago, Quill said:

Im guessing this is for DS born ‘04? (My youngest is ‘04 as well) I would have him try to get a job as a Plumber’s Helper, under a Master Plumber. Once he is working for a Plumber’s Helper (this is Maryland Dept of Licensing info; don’t know how it differs elsewhere), he can apply for an Apprenticeship license. The Master plumber vouches for the number of hours he served under apprenticeship. It’s a lot of hours, so it will be over a few years. But once they get the hours under a MP, they can apply for Journeyman’s license. 

If, say, next year or the following, he is really thinking this is what he wants for a career, he could start taking whatever classes the community college offers, or he could pursue a bachelor’s in business management or finance or whatever s helpful and, if he does get a Master’s, he can operate his own business, which is generally more earning potential than being a company plumber. 

My son applied for his Apprenticeship card and is working with dh this summer (and presumably the next two summers and whenever else he can). He still plans to go to college and I don’t necessarily plan for him to become a plumber but since he’s working under dh anyway, we both agreed it was a good idea for him to accrue hours. 

 

No, my 21 year old.

[Guest]

Just now, DawnM said:

 

No, my 21 year old.

Ok, well, still the same procedure IMO. He should look for a Plumber’s Helper job and apply for your state’s apprenticeship card. A good, clean, reliable apprentice is highly valuable. 

[Slache]

It depends on the state. I would contact a local plumbing company and ask what it would take for them to hire him. If you live in California I can talk to my dad, he's been plumbing for 40 years. I apprenticed with him, not because I wanted to be a plumber, but because he made me do that instead of getting a regular job. I recommend the profession. He makes good money and always has work.

My husband is finishing up school for home inspection. He's going to make twice what my dad does without hurting his back and knees. School is expensive and hard and we still need to fund the tools, but I think it's a better choice.

[73349]

Maybe email someone from the community college's program?

[Indigo Blue]

For my dh, it's been pretty straightforward. He started working under a licensed plumber a year or so before we got married. He was licensed 25 years ago in 1996. He worked as a plumber's helper for around 10 years before he was licensed. I'm not saying it took 10 years to be knowledgeable enough to pass the state exam, though. That's just the point in time he decided he wanted to be licensed. In 2005, he became the business owner. I don't know if things have changed now, but then you just went in for the exam if you had enough experience to pass. There used to be some local seminars to help prepare and study, but I don't know if these are still available. Also, continuing education used to be required, and that no longer is. All that dh does now is renew his license with the State Board of Examiners once per year, and mail in the yearly fee. This is pretty much how it works in our state, NC.

 

[Lecka]

We talked to a plumber a few years ago wrt my little BIL.

The plumber said — if you know you want to do it, the local vo-tech was desirable.  If no prior experience — he recommended working to see if you really wanted to do it, first.

At the time, he said going to the Dakotas was where the big money was, you could go up there alone and make $20,000 a year more than you could make locally, but it would mean living in a dorm.  He said locally a lot were doing it for 6 months or a year.  
 

This was just a plumber we needed, and he made a good impression.

My little BIL ended up not pursuing this, but it was something he considered.  
 

Edit:  this was about 5 years ago.  

Edited August 11, 2021 by Lecka

[itsheresomewhere]

Call a few plumbers if a trade school does not have a program locally.  Several plumbers here would love to have someone who wants to learn.  

[prairiewindmomma]

My state has a formal apprenticeship program. Students can go through them or start coursework at the local cc and then transfer over for fewer years under supervision. 

[prairiewindmomma]

I just googled for the state I think you live in, @DawnM. If you go to apprenticeshipxx.com (put in your state abbreviation in place of the xx), there is good information there. There is also a list of sponsoring employers.

[vonfirmath]

4 hours ago, DawnM said:

I know, dumb question, but I am honestly not sure.

Is it better to look for a apprenticeship job on Indeed and go in entry level and get trained through them?

Is it better to take classes at the CC and get certified first?

My son is expressing interest and we don't know any plumbers!  None.  So "just find someone who is a plumber and have him shadow him and talk to him" isn't an option.  

Is there another way I am not considering?   

Thanks.

I work for a plumbing company. They are always looking for new apprentices. Even to the point of taking on "Wannabes" and giving them work until they can get signed up with the union, go to class, and become official apprentices.  Even people who already have degrees have to take the classes, etc.

[LucyStoner]

Apprenticeship programs and trades licensure varies a lot by state.  You should be able to call or research the website of the local plumbers and pipe fitters union in your area and get a good idea of the opportunities for trainees in your state.  
 

[kiwik]

On 8/11/2021 at 10:55 AM, Melissa in Australia said:

Here the only way is an apprenticeship. 

Here apprenticeships are very hard to get. 

People can do a preaprenticeship course to try and improve their chances and many students at year 10 do work experience placement with all sorts of trades on the hope of getting an apprenticeship 

In NZ too.  It is about 4 and requires number (6?) Of block courses at pyrotechnic plus correspondence courses throughout.  Then you have to work under a master plumber for several years before you pass an exam and can be self employed.  No one who is not a licensed plumber is allowed to do plumbing.

[kiwik]

On 8/11/2021 at 3:29 PM, vonfirmath said:

I work for a plumbing company. They are always looking for new apprentices. Even to the point of taking on "Wannabes" and giving them work until they can get signed up with the union, go to class, and become official apprentices.  Even people who already have degrees have to take the classes, etc.

Really here it is really hard to get into something like plumbing because no one wants to train apprentices.  They would father steal someone else's a couple of years in.

[vonfirmath]

5 hours ago, kiwik said:

Really here it is really hard to get into something like plumbing because no one wants to train apprentices.  They would father steal someone else's a couple of years in.

We've got people that have been with the company since the beginning. It's a family owned business. Though they are willing to let go of people that are not working out (usually because they don't come to work consistently) when work is low. They go to great efforts to keep hard workers even in hard times.

 

[DawnM]

Thanks guys.   I see several job openings locally for apprenticeships.   I have passed them along to him.   
There is also an opportunity to join the coast guard reserves and learn on the job on the weekends for a 2 year commitment.   He is sure he doesn't want to enlist, but I passed it along anyway.

[Tanaqui]

Not to put too fine a point on it, but isn't the first step in becoming a plumber or joining the coast guard doing your own research? If he's old enough to be choosing a career path, you're not doing him any favors by doing his legwork for him.

[teachermom2834]

1 minute ago, Tanaqui said:

Not to put too fine a point on it, but isn't the first step in becoming a plumber or joining the coast guard doing your own research? If he's old enough to be choosing a career path, you're not doing him any favors by doing his legwork for him.

I totally get what you are saying but sometimes you just need to ask a question on a forum without feeling like you will be scolded for parenting choices, etc. There are times I could use some info but I just don't want to have to filter through these kind of responses.

Sometimes we help adult kids just because. Because we like doing research or because it is how we show love or because the kid really needs some handholding. Launching young adults is challenging and there are lots of valid choices across the board.

Best of luck to you and your ds, OP. I have a 21 yo and I can picture lots of scenarios I would help him with legwork on stuff. In fact, he recently had to move 600 miles on short notice and I helped him with all kinds of things in that process. In fact, I asked for help here and had to put "JAWM about helping him figure it out".

[Lecka]

My husband asked wrt my little BIL.  He needed some encouragement.  
 

He ended up joining the Army, he was looking at a lot of things and was overwhelmed with the legwork of comparing so many different options.  
 

I don’t think it comes close to “doing too much.”