Plumbing

Plumbing is the process of installing and maintaining systems that bring water into homes and businesses and take waste water away. A plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in installing and maintaining these systems.

Learning plumbing can give you a variety of skills that can be useful in a number of settings. Residential plumbers can install or repair plumbing fixtures in homes, while commercial plumbers may work on larger projects in office buildings or factories. Either way, a trained plumber knows how to read blueprints and follow local building codes to ensure a safe and effective installation. Many plumbers also learn drain cleaning and other repair skills that can come in handy in a variety of situations.

Most plumbing training programs last four years and include classroom instruction and hands-on experience. The first two years of a plumbing program typically focus on technical training, including coursework in mathematics, blueprint reading, and physics. The last two years of the program focus on more advanced topics, such as plumbing codes, safety, and advanced installation techniques.