We’ve all heard about the shortage of skilled tradespeople in the United States, and the increasing age of those that are left. If you’re at this site, it’s probably safe to say that you have some slight interest in plumbing. Maybe you’re a plumber yourself, an avid DIY-er, or simply the curious sort. Perhaps you know someone who is. Whatever the case may be, if a new career is in the offing, there’s no reason to not consider plumbing. In fact, there are ten really good reasons to consider it!
1. Job stability. The need for plumbers is kind of like the need for doctors – everyone everywhere will always need them. Being a plumber offers you a certain level of security: a good plumber can always find employment, and the job can’t be outsourced!
2. Less student loan debt. College students these days are graduating with tens of thousands of dollars worth of student loan debt. Choosing a trade like plumbing often means you can attend vocational school or a community college for significantly less money, and then enter an apprenticeship where you’re actually paid while you learn the trade.
3. Advancement opportunities. Plumbing is a licensed and regulated trade, and you can choose to work your way all the way up to the master level if you have the ambition to do so. Master plumbers have a higher salary, more job flexibility, and more opportunities than many other professions.
4. Job variety. Being a plumber doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing house calls and fixing toilets all day (unless you want to, of course). Plumbers work in all kinds of industries. You could find a job designing plumbing systems for new buildings, deciding how to manage, repair, and expand city/municipal water systems, or developing new plumbing technologies. Where there’s water and people, there’s a need for plumbing. The opportunities are almost endless!
5. Independence. Professional plumbers can always choose to go into business for themselves. Owning your own plumbing business means you can work when you want and where you want, which is great for those who have family obligations or need flexibility in scheduling or location.
6. Personal benefits. As a plumber, you’ll be working your body and your mind all the time. Analyzing problems, developing solutions, and handling day-to-day business transactions will keep your mind sharp, and the physical requirements of the job can keep your body active and healthy.
7. Job satisfaction. Plumbers really do save lives. Without good plumbing systems to deliver clean water and get rid of wastewater, we would all be at risk of catching potentially fatal diseases. Keeping the plumbing systems in our homes and cities in good working order is a worthy task that protects the health of our nation.
8. Social interaction. As a plumber, you won’t be stuck in an office all day. You can be out and about, meeting and interacting with new people all the time. If you’re a friendly person and offer your clients good customer service, you can also generate a significant amount of income through these positive interactions.
9. Respect. There are plenty of jokes and biases, but thankfully, more and more people are realizing what plumbers do for us, and respect for the trade is growing. Indeed, the entire social landscape regarding skilled trades is shifting. After all, not everyone can be a plumber – people try to fix extensive problems themselves, make it worse, and then realize that they need you, the professional, to fix things for them.
10. No more plumbing bills. Once you’ve got the skills, you’ll never need to pay someone else for plumbing repairs! This is probably the least important reason to become a plumber, but hey, if you’re on the tipping point this just might help you make the decision!
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I hope this post really helps others consider the benefits in becoming a plumber. Although sometimes it can get messy, anyone with a tough enough stomach an reap the rewards.
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I am looking for help with a specific “issue”. Under the sink there has been so much stuff added and the pipes have been added to in such a way that it’s a total mess! The sinks both clog up nearly every day and things are leaking too. I made a note that you specify when you have two sinks running into the same drain pipe that you use a 2 part waste and a trap. What exactly is the two part waste other then a pipe with a connection on the the side to add another pipe to? In our sink there has been a garbage disposer added and connected directly to what I think is the two part waste piece, but they used a piece of white pvc pipe to go directly into the disposer and it is not flanged!! It held ok for a while but is now leaking like crazy. Will I be able to purchase another black rubber gasket like the one that came with the disposer? How about a piece of flanged hose that is straight and about a foot long. I hesitate to consider even changing the method they have going under the sink because there has been a reverse osmosis water system added with an overflow line connected into this heap of pipes and I don’t know the rules for such an addition. Help!!
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It definitely sounds like you needs some assistance with this. We suggest that you either call a plumber to inspect and fix your problems or you can try asking for help on Plbg.com. If you include pictures they may be able to provide some suggestions. We hope that it all works out for you.
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I am a young plumber that just started on my own this summer. Times have been tough here and there, but I’m loving it and making decent money. Really enjoy helping people, too.
I had my friend put together this website for me recently, and it’s really boosting our calls and leads: http://www.cheektowaga-plumbers.com/
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Don’t underestimate reason #10! Great article. I hope it helps some young people make better informed choices.
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All kids coming out of high school should take a look at #2! Plumbers out here do well!
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I am thinking about becoming a plumber but live in texas. Online when I search plumbers in texas only start at 26K and the average pay is only 44K. Which has me very worried since would be a massive pay cut for me working in the oil Industry as an Inspector even though a only have a high school degree
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Great read! Thanks for sharing. I couldn’t agree more with all your reasons for becoming a plumber it is a great job!
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Plumbing can be a very rewarding profession, especially when we help people out who are in the midst of an “emergency” situation. It doesn’t hurt that the pay is pretty good and we’re not stuck sitting in an office cubicle everyday. Check out our services page for all the opportunities available to plumbers:
http://www.amherstnyplumbing.com/
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Im in 10th grade & im thinking about taking a plumbing and heating class for 3 years is it really worth it
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Plumbing & HVAC can make for great careers, and training will give you a skill set that’s highly marketable and will serve you well for the rest of your life (at the very least, you’ll probably be able to take care of plumbing problems in your house – best case scenario, you should be able to get a well-paying job wherever you live). If you have any kind of aptitude for or interest in plumbing and heating stuff, it’s well worth a try. If it doesn’t take, it’s not the end of the world – there are a wealth of other trades in need of young talent, and college is not at all age-dependent. Make sure to dig around for scholarships and grants – there are a lot out there, even for trade schools and training! Mike Rowe (of Dirty Jobs fame) has a foundation for this very thing – http://profoundlydisconnected.com/ – and there are many private companies offering small scholarships like we’ve posted about here: http://theplumber.com/1000-scholarship-available-for-students-pursuing-careers-in-skilled-trades/
As you advance, you can also check with local unions for similar programs, and apprenticeships. Good luck!
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I’ve been plumbing 22 years and a licensed master plumber and I make over 100k a year. I do service and repair plumbing. I went in the navy just after high school and stayed 8 years then got out and got into plumbing so I started a little late in life but I really enjoy it and I like people and helping them. So if I was your age again I would get plumbing school done as soon as you can if that’s what you want to do in life. Once a licensed journeyman you can work in different aspects of plumbing and always have a job no matter we’re you live. It’s nasty at times and physical to your body over all the years but shit still stinks and smells like money to me. Good luck in we’re ever life takes you!
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Do it and will change your life forever !!!!
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Great list! Plumbing is a fulfilling career that allows one to combine knowledge and innovation with the ability to create and build with your hands. Becoming a plumber offers you amazing earnings potential.
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Plumbers are the often-overlooked domestic heroes who restore sanity and avert crises. While it can be a stressful job, with sometimes unpredictable, unsociable hours, the positives far outweigh the negatives as we understood when we asked our plumbing community what they’d recommend about their profession. The great thing about the plumbing field is its a career you can choose at any age. if your plumbing is driving you around the bend, take the plunge and call http://plumbersdirect.com.au/ to see how we can help with all your plumbing needs.
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Is plumbing is rally harmful for our health or not??
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I have been a plumber for 15 years.
It pays the bills. But when i was a kid i never played with pkumber action figures. Follow your dreams guys!!!! Nobody wanted to be a plumber growing up. So really you failed if plumber is your title… do what makes your soul happy!!!!
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I am third generation plumber. Never bored. Always challenging work with more to learn. Make great money. Some employers are good others are not. That is true in any business. It is hard physically. But it can keep you in good shape. If you view it as plumbers guard the water sanitation and keep sewage from making people sick you will realize how important Good plumbers are to our society. Try going 2 days without hot water. It is not for everyone. However for those with the right qualities like brains, hard working, good character, etc. Can be very happy. Some love sales, some like tech work, some like being a chef, some like being firemen, and some love plumbing making many others happy to see the hero arrive and enjoy their work output.
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i became a plumber when i was 17, im now 30 and have 13 years experience. i have worked in four different countries, i worked in residential, commercial and industrial settings. i worked in schools, houses and oil and gas sectors. i have a beautiful wife and two properties and will be buying another soon. dont let anyone tell you its a bad idea or a dead end job, or dont ever be ashamed of being a plumber, i have been very succesful at a young age and just recently i set up my own business. its a small company but i plan to expand. please check out my website http://www.caledonplumbing.com its the start of my next chapter in the wonderful plumbing world. take care fellow plumbers. be safe
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I am currently still in high school and I am considering becoming a plumber, I don’t see the purpush of going to college for 8 years of my life or 4 or whatever and be in debt for most of life. I have done research about the topic, and have many questions but if anyone is willing to give me any advice, I can be reached at tapoitevien17@outlook.com,
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Plumbing is a great trade to have under your belt. The only downside is the fact once everyone knows your a plumber your free time is very limited. Unless you are good at saying no to people you know, you will be asked to help out with plumbing issues all the time! On another note I have lost all fear of not having a job. I am constantly receiving letters from employers asking me to apply. Oh and I make more money than some of my friends who have graduated college. Service plumbing is where the money’s at. Most average 70,000 to 120,000 a year, and on the low end at least 50,000.
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Because of this article I decided to change my course from bricklaying to plumbing it was very persuasive and made me think differently about plumbing
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Bricklaying will do a number on your hands, back and knees, feet. Plumbing is less likely to do it. Bricklaying mortar has lime in it and it will affect your hands in the long run.
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Laid off from my service tech position due to company closing after 10 years, thinking about switching careers at 36 years of age to plumbing. Any suggestions? Or advice?
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Hi Glenn. Look into your local community college, or any technical schools in the area that might offer plumbing courses. You should also contact a local plumber’s union to see if they can provide any info on education or apprenticeships (http://www.ua.org/apprenticeship might help). It might also be a good idea to post on plumbing forums to get the advice of pros and those who are currently training – http://www.plbg.com (one of our sites) and http://terrylove.com are good places to start. If you aren’t having much luck, you could also try contacting local plumbers directly – there’s a good chance at least one will have some good advice for you.
If money becomes an issue, be aware that there are scholarships out there for people learning trades. If you find yourself in a program next year, here’s one we’ve promoted before: https://www.smartservice.com/smart-service-scholarship/
Best of luck!
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its a good trade go for it
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currently i am doing my national service as a firefighter and love doing things hands on. I have no idea what i want to do and i keep hearing that its so hard to find work these days to be honest i keep hearing bad things about this job but it seems very interesting would it be worth pursuing a career in plumbing ? is it rewarding?
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In running into a good friend of mine from college, he mentioned that he has recently become a plumber and has been enjoying the benefits of the job. It’s great that you mentioned that professional plumbers can always choose to go into business for themselves, flexibility being a great novelty in this line of work. Thank you for your tips about working as a plumber!
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My brother is thinking of becoming a plumber and I am glad that I found this article because I had no idea that there are so many benefits! You make a great point that being a plumber provides a lot of variety because you can work in numerous types of buildings with installment and repairs. Also, it makes sense that it will provide job security because people always need plumbers and I will make sure to tell him this because this will give my brother peace of mind. http://ua430.org/
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Hi, I have a problem with my journeyman. Just curious if this is normal or not. I told him that I was interested in learning the trade with no knowledge. First day was great! Second and third wasn’t so great lol. He’d give me a 20 sec description on what to do, what tools to use etc but not really show me how to do it. Not sure if normal. He’d say stuff like,” find the center of the RBI, drill the holes needed with your water bit, once you get to the the beam go to the right and start on these RBIs till you reach the end, now go over here and I’ve marked your 2/9s, drill those and then it will reduce to a 2/8s on top, also make sure to drill out your hot and colds.” Maybe it was just me (which I am sure it was) but for a second day as a laborer and 2-2.5 hours of work with 30 seconds of verbal instruction, not sure if this was normal or if most other journeyman give more hands on training. Thanks
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Also, he’d tell me to get tools, supplies, fittings etc and if I didn’t know what they were or how to do the task at hand he’d be like”you don’t know what that is!” Or “you don’t know how to do that!” And I told him I’m hear to learn and don’t have any experience. Just seems like I can’t learn from this guy or he doesn’t want to really teach. Not sure if it’s just me or I have a bad teacher.
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I know this comment is super old (3 almost 4 years now) but yeah man I think you had a really bad journeyman. If you see this, which I doubt you will – how are things now? Are you still a plumber? Did you learn the trade? I’m about to start as an apprentice in a week.
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Plumbing has been good to my family. It is, however, dirty work at times. When you get that call and the person on the other side of the call is panicking and you calm them down, is worth it. Also, solving problems and saving people money makes me feel good. We try our best to give everyone a fair deal. We started this website and have not had much activity. http://www.camarillo-plumbers.com if anyone can take a look at and tell me what I need to do to get it to work better, I’d appreciate. Thanks
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Being a plumber is a good thing although it also has it’s bad side. The good thing about being a plumber is that, if there’s a plumbing issue at home, you won’t have to spend money to call for a local plumber to solve your plumbing issues at home. You can just do it by yourself and you can save lots of money. The only downside is the fact that once everyone knows you are a plumber, your free time is very limited. Unless you are good at saying no to people you know, since you will be asked to help out with plumbing issues all the time!
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I am a young man of 20 year and i like to be plumber man but my question is that, can a plumber man serve government or company after the undergoing training? if yes please reply. my contact 08034016881 thank.
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Plumbing is one of the best professions. I started some 40 years ago framing, before the nail gun. I pounded nails with a 28 oz framing hammer some six plus hours a day for $5 hr doing additions. I use to watch the plumber on the job site who spent maybe three days and made more than I did in a month. What a racket. I was killing myself for peanuts while he was enjoying his home on weekends. I’ve been a plumber since and haven’t looked back. I currently own and operate my own business and looking forward to retiring. Plumbing rocks.
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My son and I talked over dinner last night about what he wants to do when he grows up. I find it great that he can get the option of becoming a plumber through going through an apprenticeship while avoiding graduating with student loan debt. With that, I will enroll him in one so that he can protect each home from water damage and keep our community healthy. https://buildingpathwaysboston.org/programs/
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There are so many pros of becoming professional plumber which I cannot mention at the same time. But all I can say that it provides the good opportunity for your growth and if you eagerly enhancing your skills and talent, then soon you will become professional plumber and also establish your plumbing business.
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This is laughable. I’ve been a plumber for 13 years and getting involved in this trade is the biggest regret in my life. The technology doesn’t advance with the exception of increasingly simplified methods of joining two pieces of pipe. This also causes regular layoffs meaning especially during fall and winter. The level of uncertainty as to what you’ll make each year is pretty stressful and causes train on your family and relationships. Spare time? Plan on doing “side work” to make ends meet and make up for what you don’t make on the job. And a masters license promises nothing more than bragging rights that no one cares about. I’ve never experienced this “high demand” articles are always touting about as plumbers are a dime a dozen.