Install and repair water, drainage and gas piping systems in residential, commercial and industrial settings. Work covers everything from new installs to leak repairs and fixture replacement.
Read blueprints, cut and fit pipes, solder or join fittings, install fixtures, troubleshoot leaks and clogs, test systems for pressure and safety, and coordinate with other trades.
Work on construction sites, in occupied buildings or in utility rooms and basements. Mix of indoor and outdoor work; often includes service calls to customer homes or businesses.
Frequent bending, kneeling, crawling in tight spaces, lifting pipe and equipment, and working in awkward positions. Must handle moderate-to-heavy loads and stand for long periods.
Pipe wrenches, threading machines, soldering torches, cutting tools, press tools, pipe benders, leak detectors, pressure gauges and PPE.
Good for people who like practical problem solving, working independently on service calls, and seeing tangible results quickly. Must be patient with messy, sometimes dirty jobs.
Standard apprenticeship: 4–5 years with on-the-job hours and scheduled in-school blocks. Many provinces use the Red Seal plumbing endorsement for mobility.
Basic plumbing tools, learning pipe fitting and soldering, assisting journeypersons on site, and first in-class technical modules on codes and safety.
Start with employer/contractor hire, union apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeship plumbing certificates, or trade school programs that feed into apprenticeships.
Strong demand for maintenance and new construction, often steady work and good pay, and clear career paths to service specialist, supervisor or business owner.
Work can be dirty, include emergency callouts, and sometimes involve working in confined or unsanitary spaces. Gas work requires extra certification and carries risk.
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