There has never been a better time to get into the plumbing industry. Plumbing has remained in favor as an important hands-on career without the danger of job losses to automation found in other industries. But how long does it take to become a plumber? From choosing plumbing schools to getting your certifications, read on to learn about the steps on the plumbing career path.
A Career For Life
Like any other career path, the journey to becoming a certified master plumber is marked by several major milestones. As your proficiency in your chosen field grows, you'll start taking on more responsibility, and your skills will improve rapidly. You'll need perseverance and dedication to make it to the top, but once you do, you'll have a challenging and rewarding career for life.
Apprentice Plumber
Most people get into the field as an apprentice. Often starting straight out of high school, you'll be working with a more experienced plumber, who will usually be a master plumber to learn the trade and get hands-on experience on the job. You'll support your master and their business, undertaking practical work and acting as an assistant, while getting paid for your work. You'll also undertake clerical work such as bookkeeping, which will give you a good grounding in how a plumbing business runs.
Plumbing apprenticeships are almost always sponsored by a company or union, although an independent plumber may sometimes take on an apprentice. Most of the practical work you'll be given will be on basic, low-stakes installations and repairs, but you'll be gaining essential foundational skills that you'll be using throughout your career. Most people will remain in an apprenticeship for between two and five years, but this will depend on which program you choose and how fast you learn.
Plumbing Schools
Another option that's increasingly gaining favor is to join a plumbing or trade school. These programs offer you the chance of working wherever you want after training. They're also a lot shorter, and usually have a standard length of about 2 years. They're similar to universities, with courses that cover everything from electrical work to physics, as well as important practical training.
After finishing your chosen program, you'll still need on-the-job training. Many people seek out an apprenticeship here, but you could also find an internship, which may or may not be paid. Whichever path you choose, you'll be striving to gain your plumbing license, which will allow you to start work on your own as a general plumber. Depending on your school or college, you might be able to take the exam as soon as you leave and get working straight away.
Journeyman Plumber
The next major stage in your plumbing career comes after you've passes your exams and got your certification (more on that below) to work as a journeyman plumber. Journeyman Plumber certification allows you to work on your own, independently of a master plumber. Your skills by this point are generally considered intermediate, and many journeymen will continue to work alongside master plumbers, providing a broad range of services.
What work you'll be doing will depend on the job you're assigned to, and you might work with a team of other journeymen on more complex tasks. As you gain more experience, you'll also gain professional autonomy and capacity. Many people choose to stay here, but others may want to continue their education and become a master plumber.
Licencing and Certification
The most important step in your plumbing career is undoubtedly getting your plumbing certification. Without it, you won't be able to work in the trade in the majority of states. In almost all states, this means passing an exam, first to become a journeyman plumber, and then to become a master plumber. The requirements vary from state to state, so you'll need to read up on what the rules are for where you live. Many states require you to have completed an approved apprenticeship program first.
Restricted Plumbing License
Depending on the kind of plumbing work you want to do, you might need a restricted plumbing license issued by your state. This will allow you to work with more complex and dangerous systems, such as fuel and gas piping or public utilities. This will have certain requirements you'll have to meet before you can take the exam.
For example, to get your restricted gas plumbing license (PG) in Alaska, you need to have undertaken a minimum of 4,000 hours of work, of which at least 2,000 must be in either gas piping installation or industrial plumbing installation. Other states might have different requirements, so you'll need to check with your local plumbing board if you want to head down this route.
Master Plumber
Master plumber status is something many plumbers aspire to. As a master plumber, you'll be working independently sometimes at the head of your own plumbing business. To apply for master plumber status, you'll need to have worked as a journeyman plumber for a minimum of two years to even qualify, but many plumbers choose to continue working as a journeyman for as long as five or six years before they attempt the exams.
As a master plumber, you might find yourself taking on a more supervisory role or working in conjunction with architects on new construction designs. At this point, you might even take on an apprentice yourself, or train the next generation by teaching in plumbing schools. You'll need to keep your licenses up to date (how often you need to do this varies by state), and you'll probably need your own public liability insurance.
So how long does it take to become a plumber? While it depends heavily on the individual, most master plumbers are in the trade for eight to ten years before they pass their exams, although others might pass in as little as six. When you're a fully qualified professional plumber, visit ServiceBox! We have a wide array of services to help you manage your business work cycle from quoting to payments and accounting. Check out our revolutionary software today!
