Plumbing Careers Are On The Rise: What You Need To Be A Plumber And How Much You Could Make
Whether you’re starting out in the job market or interested in a different career, it’s a good idea to find out what’s in demand. The higher the demand, the easier it is to find training, certifications and strong career opportunities. In the last several years, there has been a sharp rise in demand for professional plumbers. While you might not have considered plumbing jobs until now, this career path has a lot to offer.
As a skilled trade offering an essential service, it’s often very easy for plumbers to enjoy steady work across the country. But if you’re still not sure, let’s take a closer look. We’ll review the skills plumbers need and the services they’re expected to offer alongside common salaries and benefits. With a little more information, you can better understand why plumbing jobs are in such high demand these days.
What Are Plumbers Expected To Do? What Skillset Should They Have?
When most people think of plumbers, they imagine residential services like resolving a clog or replacing a leaky pipe. While those skills are vital for many kinds of plumbers, their skills can include a much wider variety of services.
Their skill set includes a diverse set of services like repair, installation and maintenance for plumbing fixtures and equipment as well as the pipes themselves. These services can be for drinking water, gas lines, wastewater and much more. Depending on the specific discipline, plumbers might also be trained to work with drainage systems, at water treatment plants and even in industrial manufacturing!
But whatever the plumber is trained for, their job is about keeping things flowing smoothly. Like other utilities, plumbing and piping systems are often needed to function 24 hours a day. To maintain efficient and reliable plumbing, plumbers undergo training and professional certification.
What Is The Process For Becoming A Certified Plumbing Technician?
There are lots of ways to make progress on becoming a professional plumber. Community colleges, trade schools, industry organizations and even high school programs often offer core elements of the knowledge and training plumbers will need. Through these programs, people are granted a plumber apprenticeship.
These apprenticeships are basically a form of “plumbing school” and are set up to prepare you for full-time employment. They’ll offer in-classroom education as well as on-the-job training supervised by experienced plumbers. Depending on the program you enroll in, these apprenticeships might take anywhere close to 2 to 5 years to complete. This time is vital to ensure apprentice plumbers possess strong competency concerning the tools, procedures and safety precautions they use to get the job done properly.
As plumbers become more experienced, they can improve their services through formal certification and accreditation programs. Through advanced education and testing, a plumber can become a journeyman and even a master in their field. With these higher certifications come more complex responsibilities, but an increase in available salaries and benefits as well.
What Is The Average Salary For Plumbers?
While the salary of plumbing jobs mostly depends on location and experience, averages usually hover around more than $50,000 each year. This will vary from state to state. A key distinction to make is that since plumbing careers frequently include paid on-the-job training, even apprentices are being compensated for their time. Meanwhile, applicants in many other fields often have to wait until their education or training is finished before they start receiving a salary and benefits.
What’s more, many plumbers provide emergency support for nights and weekends or take on extra projects for overtime pay. This bolsters compensation, particularly for specialized skills and certifications. And because plumbing is such an essential service, struggling to find steady work is rare. These things make a career as a professional plumber an excellent option for people seeking reliable and consistent work.
Is Plumbing The Right Choice For Me?
A plumber should be in good physical condition, as jobs often involve lifting heavy objects, standing for extended periods of time and working in cramped spaces. And if a job is outdoors, poor or inclement weather can impact the process. But by taking proper precautions, plumbers can minimize disruptions and ensure the benefits outweigh these concerns.
Professional plumbers are trained experts who provide an invaluable service for countless homes, businesses and other commercial properties. It can be a lucrative career, particularly for specialists and master plumbers who are more and more involved in the design and engineering of plumbing systems. Thanks to a variety of factors, plumbing jobs are likely to grow for years to come. If you decide to start a career as a professional plumber, getting a permanent position might be easier than you think.
Why Are Plumbers In Such High Demand?
There are many reasons plumbers are currently in high demand, including:
- Plumbing systems are a necessary utility: Plumbing has existed for hundreds if not thousands of years, and that’s not going to change. As long as pipes, fixtures and plumbing systems need installation and servicing, trained plumbers will be there to help.
- More construction and renovation projects: As construction winds back up, designing and installing new plumbing systems will too. Additionally, advances in water conservation and plumbing technology ensure an active retrofitting element to the industry.
- The recent infrastructure stimulus package: The U.S. government recently created a large stimulus package designed to repair key infrastructure such as roads and utilities. As new piping is built or old piping is replaced, experienced plumbers will be leading the way.
As you can see, a career as a professional plumber can be a good opportunity. There is a high demand for quality plumbers in every corner of the country, with competitive compensation and easy access to professional development programs. To learn about local plumbing jobs in Lodi, why not get in touch with a local service company like Tokay? You can find out the details about available positions by giving us a call at (209) 257-3156 today.
