Plumbing

What’s it all about?

Plumbing is a very mechanical, technical and practical trade. It isn’t just about clearing waste from sewers and toilets. It’s about building, designing, constructing, repairs and maintenance, and knowing how things fit together. It requires skill and knowledge just like any other industry trade, and you’ll need a plumbing qualification to keep things working in the underbelly of society.

Will it suit me?

Are you passionate about the inner workings of pipes and tubes? Does building and repairing things give you a thrill? Can you stand standing in a little bit of muck occasionally? Do you mind organic smells, the outdoors, heights and bad weather? These are some of the things you’ll be dealing with sometimes if you want to be a plumber.

You also need to be friendly when handling clients, have good technical ability and can get into tight or awkward positions, have good eyesight and co-ordination.

You can start a plumbing apprenticeship at TAFE as soon as you leave Year 10.

What will I learn?

There’s always the theory study, books, paperwork, exams and assignments to do in a plumbing apprenticeship course, like learning how to read plans and diagrams, designing plumbing systems and learning about how sumps, drainage and other plumbing systems work. But there’s also the practical side of the course, which is probably the major part of it, where you can put what you learn into practice on the job, repairing, fixing, digging, measuring, fitting, building and constructing plumbing systems.

How long will it last and what is the wage?

A plumbing apprenticeship will involve 4 years of study at TAFE, and the wages are different for different ages and levels of qualifications. For the first 6 months you won’t earn much above $250. After that, your wage will rise to about $350 for the next year or so, and then again each year after that, to about $450 or $500.

If you’re 21 years or older, it increases to about $490 from the start, but as a school leaver, this won’t apply to you, unless finished high school really late!

What careers will there be for me and what will I earn?

As a qualified plumber you can expect to earn anywhere from $40,000 – $80,000 a year on an average wage. You’ll earn more if you become an owner or manager of a company or business.

You can work privately for individual customers or for major corporations with contracts. You may want to become a designer or engineer with further study. You may teach, be an inspector or estimator, be a building supervisor or even a sales representative for supply companies.

You will always have work in the plumbing industry because it’s one of the basic necessities in life, so this trade will set you up for life.