By Jeanne Steffener, Tulalip Tribes Higher ED
Like any career path, there are a number of steps you will have to take to get to the top of the ladder. In the plumbing trade you would begin with an apprenticeship. According to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, “an apprenticeship is a combination of on-the-job training and related classroom instruction under the supervision of a journey-level trade professional in which workers learn the practical and theoretical aspects of a highly skilled occupation. After completing an apprenticeship program, the worker’s journey-level status provides an additional benefit of nationwide mobility at journey level scale”. The three (3) main levels of the plumbing trade are apprenticeship, journeymen and master plumbers.
High school graduates have the best chance of getting into an apprenticeship program because of the English, math and applied physics skills they have gained which will help them in taking the plumbing aptitude test. If you do not have a high school diploma, a GED certificate will be fine in the vast majority of apprenticeship programs. Applying to an apprenticeship program is the next step.
In addition to your high school diploma/GED, there are other requirements needed which include a minimum age of 18 years, a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation and possible drug screening for admission into an apprenticeship program.
Apprenticeship programs are sponsored by joint employer and labor groups, individual employers, and/or employer associations but come under various state and federal regulations affecting the conduct of their training program.
The Seattle Pipetrades Education Center is the Washington state approved apprenticeship program for plumbers and refrigeration fitters in the King & Snohomish County areas. http://www.ualocal32.com/about/training.php
Would you like to have the opportunity to improve your skills, gain a trade and increase you income? At little or no cost the members of the Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters have teamed up with the Mechanical Contractors Association to contribute to the JACT (Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee) fund to provide educational training for all UA1 Members. http://www.ualocal32.com/~local32/about/career-opportunities.php
Wages are up to $52.81 through the union. (varies by trade)
Benefits: Medical, dental & vision coverage, Training & Education Opportunities, Up to three (3) retirement PLANS (varies by trade), Vacation pay (varies by trade)
If you are looking for a new career in plumbing, steamfitting or refrigeration, check into Local 32 and all they have to offer. The job possibilities for someone with additional training and skills are limitless. Please call Higher ED staff at 360-716-4888 or email us at highered@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov to find out more information.
1 1 Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing, Pipefitting and Sprinkler Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA or United
Association) is a labor union which represents workers in the plumbing and pipefitting industries in the United States and Canada.