Do you want to earn a good living? Do you like work that uses your head and your hands? Consider becoming a plumber, pipefitter or steamfitter. Plumbing is a skilled trade that requires physical strength and problem-solving abilities.
Plumbers work in a variety of environments. They work for small businesses, construction companies, in factories and for government agencies. Of the 386,000 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters working in the U.S. in 2012, 59 percent were contractors.
No Two Days the Same in the Plumbing Trade
One day you could be working on a new office building, the next repairing broken pipes in an old home. If you like work that’s challenging and changes from day to day, plumbing may be the trade for you.
Plumbers have an important job. Life without modern plumbing isn’t a pretty prospect. When you work as a plumber, you make life cleaner, safer and healthier. As a plumber, you’ll get satisfaction knowing your skills have a direct impact on clients’ quality of life.
Good social and customer service skills are essential when you work as a residential plumber. You’ll meet lots people during the course of your work. You’ll have the opportunity to travel around your city and work in every neighborhood around town.
Learn On the Job
Some novice plumbers take classes at trade schools, but most learn through apprenticeships. Entry-level plumbers need a high-school diploma. They need an understanding of basic math, applied physics and chemistry. If you work as a plumber, you’ll learn to read blueprints and become familiar with safety and building codes.
Plumbers make a good living. How much can you expect to earn? That depends on where you live and your level of experience. Plumbers just starting out earn 30 to 50 percent less than their fully trained counterparts, but they get raises as they gain skills and experience.
If you’re a plumber looking for work in Portland, learn more about the current opportunities with Meticulous Plumbing.
Check out the following graphic for a few more facts about the rising opportunities for plumbers.
