Choosing a career in the plumbing trade means working in a job that positively impacts your community. The overall health of the community depends on the skilled trades because these professions maintain a clean water supply, safeguard indoor air quality, and keep the lights on.
The job opportunities available in the trades, specifically in the plumbing trade, are vast. Did you know that plumbers work in places like industrial warehouses, schools, and even hospitals? Basically, wherever clean water is needed, you’ll find a plumber.
Wherever you want to be in the world, the skilled trades can take you there!
Why Become a Plumber?
ON THE JOB TRAINING
While many career paths require years of schooling and expensive tuition, in the field of plumbing you will be trained while on the job – and while earning a wage!
Plumbers begin their training as an apprentice. On average, apprenticeships last four years and are a combination of 8,000 hours of hands-on and classroom instruction.
INCOME
The average plumber makes about $59,880/year according to the 2021 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
JOBS ARE AVAILABLE NOW
Becoming a plumber grants you the opportunity to find a job today. The demand for skilled tradespeople continues to grow.
STEM AND THE SKILLED TRADES
PLUMBING AND THE ENVIRONMENT
You can be proud of the fact that you’re not only improving the lives of homeowners through the plumbing trade, but you’ll also be helping save the planet.
While many career paths require years of schooling and lots of money, in the field of plumbing you will be trained while on the job – and while making money. Not only do plumbers begin to earn while they are at the apprentice level, they also forgo significant tuition payments and debt from student loans as all of their instruction is hands on and done while on the job.
As NYC Mayor Bloomberg pointed out on his radio show:
“Compare a plumber to going to Harvard College — being a plumber, actually for the average person, probably would be a better deal. You don’t spend … four years spending $40,000, $50,000 in tuition without earning income.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, plumbing is one of the fastest-growing jobs in this country.
The plumbing field is expected to grow 12% from 2014-2024, and this growth is expected across the country. That means that the reported 425,000 jobs back in 2014 will multiply into more than 474,100 jobs by 2024. Plumbing also offers a secure job, as plumbing services will always be in demand, plumbers are not at risk of losing their jobs to machines, and plumbing jobs cannot be outsourced for cheaper labor overseas.
Becoming a plumber grants you the opportunity to find a job today. The demand for skilled tradespeople continues to grow.
“Right now, American manufacturing is struggling to fill 200,000 vacant positions. There are 450,000 openings in trades, transportation and utilities. The Skills Gap is real, and it’s getting wider. In Alabama, a third of all skilled tradesmen are over 55. They’re retiring fast, and no one is there to replace them.”
– Mike Rowe
Becoming a plumber offers you amazing earnings potential. It also offers you the potential to carve your own career path, with great opportunities for advancement for hard working individuals. From the starting position of a field technician you can climb the plumbing career ladder to gain more responsibility, begin to manage jobs and individuals, and ultimately make more money. Plumbers can advance from service technicians to installers, operation managers and distribution managers based on their hard work and commitment to their field.
Plumbing Jobs
A career in plumbing offers great pay, benefits, job security and professional satisfaction. Explore The Trades is your complete resource for everything you need to get started and advance your career. Connect with the right people, the right information and get the right answers to get your career in gear!
Sustainability in the Plumbing Trade
The plumbing trade is vital when it comes to the environment. Clean water was one of the most revolutionary developments in history, and new technology in water and energy conservation is developing every year.
See the examples below to learn how the plumbing trade is providing more energy-efficient options and reducing the environmental impact.
- Tankless Water Heater: A tankless water heater heats and uses water on-demand.
- Low-Flush Toilets: A low-flush toilet uses approximately half the amount of water as a regular toilet.
- Low-Flow Shower: A low-flow shower still gets the job done while using approximately half the gallons-per-minute of a regular system.
- Greywater Recycling: Used or “dirty” water is collected from certain appliances or drains and is redistributed for other purposes.
See sustainability at work in the HVAC and electrical trades!
Have you ever wondered which high school classes prepare you for a career in the trades?
We’ve created a brand-new series of downloads that illustrate the connections between high school and the skilled trades.
Learn more about classes that prepare you for the plumbing trade! Download “From School to the Skilled Trades.”
