A plumber helper, sometimes referred to as a plumber's assistant, works under licensed plumbers to install plumbing systems, make repairs, and diagnose minor plumbing issues.
Plumber Job Duties:
Interprets blueprints and building specifications to map layout for pipes, drainage systems, and other plumbing materials. Installs pipes and fixtures, such as sinks and toilets, for water, gas, steam, air, or other liquids. Installs supports for pipes, equipment, and fixtures prior to installation.Plumbers have the quintessential blue-collar job, often having to crouch under sinks or through the crawl spaces under houses. If these cramped and dirty conditions aren't bad enough, they deal with our revolting clogs and waste or dangerously hot pipes.
Here are some of the top-paying trade jobs on the market listed from lowest to highest salary:
- Licensed practical nurse. National average salary: $23.18 per hour.
- HVAC technician. National average salary: $23.20 per hour.
- Home inspector.
- Plumber.
- Electrician.
- Landscape designer.
- Boilermaker.
- Respiratory therapist.
If you're a pipefitter, steamfitter or plumber, the potential for physical harm is alarmingly broad. A plumber's risks can lead to numerous physical dangers, from deep cuts to severe burns to even death. While plumbers face more dangers than can be counted, here's a list of the ones to be most mindful of.
Top Skills Needed
- Accessing Confined Spaces.
- Applying Adhesives, Sealants, and Caulk.
- Cleaning Sewer Lines.
- Hand and Arm Strength.
- Installing Appliances Like Refrigerators, Dishwashers, Water Softeners, and Water Heaters.
- Installing Pipe Systems for Gas, Water, Steam, and Other Liquids.
- Manual Dexterity.
- Precision.
Here are some of the top skills employers are looking for in any potential plumber:
- Good Physical Skills. One of the most important skills for a plumbing job is good manual dexterity and coordination.
- Interpersonal Communications Skills.
- Safety Skills.
- Problem-Solving Skills.
The average salary for plumbing workers is $21.94 per hour. Apprentice plumbers can expect to earn around half the pay rate of a more experienced plumber in their area (with pay increases as their skills develop).
Plumber Job Duties:
- Interprets blueprints and building specifications to map layout for pipes, drainage systems, and other plumbing materials.
- Installs pipes and fixtures, such as sinks and toilets, for water, gas, steam, air, or other liquids.
- Installs supports for pipes, equipment, and fixtures prior to installation.
Plumbing Apprentices provide assistance to full-fledged Plumbers while improving their skills. Common duties listed on a Plumbing Apprentice resume include cutting and assembling pipes, cleaning water supply and disposal systems, handing in tools, cleaning job sites, and answering to customer inquiries.
There actually are simple Plumbing is not rocket science. To be a good Plumber one must be able to visualize mechanical systems, have good problem solving skills, be physically strong, and be able to contort and hold uncomfortable positions while simultaneously working. One must also be able to persevere.
An online training program can cost between $800 and $1,000. An associate's degree in plumbing, which can take up to two years, costs around $3,000.
Don't let the thought of your age hold you back! Become a plumber at 40, become a plumber at 50, no matter when you choose to retrain, you will be giving yourself the chance to spend the rest of your working years in a varied and rewarding career.
It is very tough at first but gets easier the more you do it. There will always be a need for plumbers. It is a very lucrative job with lots of potential to grow. If you are good at it, you can start a business.
First of all plumbing is not just a good job but it's an excellent career. People will always need plumbers. And it's not like you can outsource a plumbing job to another country. But one of the most immediate benefits of starting a career in plumbing, you can start making money right away.
Some of the job opportunities in the plumbing industry include Air Conditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber, Drainer, Gasfitter, Plumber and Roof Plumber. This profession is currently experiencing a shortage in skills and needs many skilled workers to join the industry.
With Alison's free, online plumbing courses, students will gain an understanding of the skills needed to compete in the plumbing trade. Alison courses are designed to teach mastery of fundamental plumbing skills, from tools to fixtures, and from drafting to drainage systems.
The minimum qualification that you need to become a plumber is the City & Guilds 6035 level 2 Diploma in Domestic Plumbing. This qualification allows you carry out various domestic jobs, such as fixing taps and unclogging pipes etc. If you complete our Essential Plumbing Course then you will gain this qualification.
You will have to sit a test to get on the course assessing your scientific and numerical ability – important skills for any plumber. There are two NVQ Level 2 plumbing qualifications to choose from: NVQ Level 2 Diploma in Plumbing and Heating. NVQ Level 2 Diploma in Installing and Maintaining Domestic Heating Systems.
Apprenticeships aren't the 'easy' option.
Holding down a full-time job and studying takes commitment and hard work, and it won't be right for everyone. You'll need to prove yourself in the workplace, while getting to grips with studying for a higher level qualification.Taking the Plumbing Aptitude Test. While the questions on the test are not overly difficult, for some it may have been awhile since they were last in school. It's a good idea to brush up on your basic testing skills before taking the exam, and to do that it's even better to know what types of questions those will be.
How to get an apprenticeship
- Search company websites. If you have a particular company in mind, then it's worth taking a look at their website to find out if they are offering any apprenticeship schemes.
- Contacting employers directly.
- Get the grades to impress employers.
- Work experience.
- Pre-apprenticeship training.
Union jobs can be more difficult to find than other forms of work. Union workers have higher wages and more power to influence company leadership than non-union workers typically do.
Most pipefitters join a union. This means not just job security and good pay but excellent benefits as well. If you're a family man or even if you're still young and single, it's hard to put a price on a good healthcare plan. These are just 5 great reasons why you should consider becoming a pipefitter.
