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Plumbing As A Trade
When most people think of plumbers, they see a grubby person who needs to pull their pants up before they fix your toilet. And it is true that some of them do need a better belt, but this stereotype masks a great deal about what it takes to be a plumber.
Compulsory Trade
Plumbing is a compulsory trade in Ontario, meaning that in order to be a legally licensed plumber, one must complete an apprenticeship. Without this training, serious mistakes can occur, which can result in significant damage to people and property. Plumbing is also a Red Seal trade in Canada, meaning that if a person becomes a journeyperson in one province, their qualifications are valid in other provinces as well.
A Plumbing Apprenticeship
There is a classroom component and a work experience component to every apprenticeship.To become a plumber, you have to complete 720 hours of classroom training in trade school, and work as an apprentice for 8280 hours. On average, it will take 5 years to become a certified plumber.
The work and school periods are spaced out, ideally in the following pattern.
Period | Major Activities | Duration | Hourly Wage |
Year 1 | Foundational work – digging holes, moving supplies, cleaning and disposal | 2000 hours | $20 – $23 |
Class 1 – Basic | Basic Theory – safety, fittings, drainage, venting, piping, codes, tools, etc. | 240 hours (2 months) | $0 |
Year 2 | Foundational work – digging holes, moving supplies, cleaning and disposal, inventory | 2000 hours | $23 – $26 |
Class 2 – Intermediate | Intermediate Theory – safety, fittings, drainage, venting, piping, codes, tools, etc. | 240 hours (2 months) | $0 |
Year 3 | Foundational work plus basic installs, repairs, planning, estimating etc. | 2000 hours | $25 – $30 |
Year 4 | Foundational work plus full range of plumbing tasks | 2000 hours | $28 – $33 |
Class 3 – Advanced | Advanced Theory – safety, fittings, drainage, venting, piping, codes, tools, etc. | 240 hours (2 months) | $0 |
Year 5 | Foundational work plus all plumbing tasks, write Certificate of Qualification Exam | 280 hours | $30 – $50 |
Specialisations in Plumbing
Most of us are familiar with residential plumbers, because they are the people we call when we need a bathroom renovated or a faucet fixed. These people do a lot of service and repair work, as well as sales of new fixtures and some new home construction. Most residential plumbing companies are smaller operations with under 50 employees, and some may offer HVAC or electrical services as well.
Some companies do more project-based work, which can consist of doing the plumbing for new condominiums, schools, or office buildings, or even running pipe for entire neighborhoods. These companies tend to be much larger, often employing more than 250 people, and they may be full multi-trade companies offering plumbing, electrical, HVAC and even ironworking.
Some plumbers work in even more specialised environments such as hospitals, nuclear power facilities, large manufacturing plants, or marine vessels. Pipes and fittings in these environments can be several metres in diameter and be required to withstand huge amounts of pressure and/or temperature. These companies usually employ hundreds or even thousands of people.
The starting point for all of these possibilities is an apprenticeship. And you don’t have to pick your specialisation right away. You can start an apprenticeship with a small residential company and end up working on cruise ships or hydroelectric installations. Be a professional, be utterly reliable, and the opportunities will come to you. Let Trade Smart College help you take this first step on your journey.
Whether you’re a prospective student, a parent or a company, we want to hear from you and put you in touch with one of our team members as soon as possible. We feel it is important to answer your questions one-on-one, so you can make informed decisions about joining us on our mission to connect students and companies. Please fill out the form, and we will get back to you very soon.
Plumbing Apprenticeship or University?
Becoming a fully qualified “journeyperson” plumber does take time. In fact, it takes a year longer to become a journeyperson than it does to get a university degree. However, aside from part-time and summer jobs, you don’t get paid to go to university. So instead of earning $40,000 to $65,000 a year as an apprentice, getting a degree will cost you $30,000 a year in tuition and living expenses.
At the end of four years, you can be $120,000 in the hole pursuing a degree, or $190,000 ahead as an apprentice.
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