The most challenging aspect of becoming a plumber is finding or obtaining the necessary training to prepare yourself to enter the market as your most valuable asset. At Howtobecomeaplumber.net we understand this challenge and have developed a multiple part series on Plumbing Apprenticeships or Plumbing Apprenticeship Programs. Some are very formal and rigid while others are more liberal and dictated by what each day brings rather than a preplanned schedule.
The first in the series is Union Type Apprenticeship in Plumbing Program.
While Howtobecomeaplumber.net is not an advocate for any specific program, we have identified typical inclusions that you could find in the different plumbing apprenticeship programs. Of the programs that we have researched or participated in, the most detailed are Union Apprenticeship Programs. These Apprenticeship Programs are as detailed as they are because they have support for the companies and union members financially, because there is a vested interest in the individuals that are accepted into the program.
The Union Apprenticeship Program will typically consist of classroom and on-the-job training, with a specified amount of amount of time in each. The classroom training can be in the upwards of 500 hours with an additional 250 – 500 hours of home study. While that may seem like a lot of time, it pales in comparison to the total number of hours including on-the-job training, which can range from 7,500 – 10,000 hours depending on the Union and State specific licensing requirements. Refer to the specific State you are interested in found at Howtobecomeaplumber.net.
The typical types of classroom training that you could expect to study in a Union Apprenticeship Program are:
Code Compliance – a complete understanding of local, state, and federal plumbing codes. Also included would be general building code as it relates to areas of impact related to plumbing work.
Blueprints – this could include the ability to read and understand blueprints, not limited to plumbing blueprints, a competency of full blueprint reading is ideal as you will need to fully understand how your work can impact the work of others. This area of training can also include the ability to draft plumbing schematics based on minimum code requirements.
Mathematics / Basic Principles of Physics – Plumbers can be required to utilize a large amount of mathematics for measuring, sizing, layouts, and design work. The basic principles of physics with how water, material, and gases move are essential to understanding how a plumbing system works.
Safety – Construction can be a dangerous line of work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (O.S.H.A.) has outlined the minimum safety requirements, every plumber should go through a minimum of the O.S.H.A. 10-hour training course.
Plumbing Fixtures / Appliances – Classroom training and on-the-job training are both areas a plumbing apprentice should expect to find opportunity to learn how water heaters, water treatment equipment, fixtures and appliances operate and impact a plumbing system.
The on-the-job portion of the Plumbing Apprenticeship Program is a hands-on approach typically alongside a licensed Journeyman or Master Plumber. This is not a fast track program as it typically takes a couple of years to complete. During this time you will fully understand the dynamics of a sewer, waste and vent system, a domestic water system (possibly non-potable also), and natural gas piping. You should upon completion have the necessary requirements met to apply for your Journeyman’s License in the state you are completing your Apprenticeship Program in.
If you are completing a Union Plumbing Apprenticeship Program you need to fully understand your obligations upon completing the program and what it means to be union member. Howtobecomeaplumber.net is not advocating any specific program and highly recommends researching the full benefits, short term and long term, with any Plumbing Apprenticeships that may be available to you.
Next in the series is Government sponsored O.J.T. (On-The-Job-Training) programs.
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