In life, we experience many joys, wonders, and adventures. It’s what makes our life prosper. Many of these come through technology and great inventions at our disposal. This can make our lives a lot easier and more convenient. What we have now, generations before us might have not had. Probably the most important ones are electricity, running water, and plumbing.
People know, in general, what plumbing San Antonio is and what it does for our homes or buildings. Essentially, plumbing San Antonio uses pipes, valves, fixtures, tanks, and other apparatuses to convey fluids.
In this article, we are going to discuss how to become a plumber, what you have to do for training, what certificates you may need, and anything you may need to know on your path to becoming a plumber.
Plumber Duties And Responsibilities
Plumber’s have a lot of tasks that they need to be able to perform and execute which may include:
- Install pipes and plumbing fixtures
- Visually inspect equipment and operate test equipment such as pressure and vacuum gauges to determine the cause and location of trouble
- Clear obstructions from sink drains and toilets
- Troubleshoot problems and decide how to fix them
- Repair pipes and plumbing fixtures
- Estimate costs of installations and repairs
- Present recommendations and related pricing to customers
- Plumbers must be able to perform these tasks to ensure the proper functioning of properties’ plumbing systems.
A plumbers’ salary can range anywhere from $90,000 to a low of $30,000 but overall the median salary is around $50,000. You should be able to afford a pretty nice home.
Plumber Work Schedule
Most plumbers have full-time jobs. Evenings and weekends may be a part of a plumber’s regular schedule, and overtime (which is more than eight hours a day or more than 40 hours per week) is very common. Plumbers are often needed in a time of a crisis so they will have to be available regularly in order to respond to these emergencies. In the case of an emergency plumber, they may have a 24/7 work schedule as they are on call at all hours versus a regular plumber.
Steps For A Plumbing San Antonio Career
Schooling
The path to your future career is always an exciting one to take, but there will be challenges and hardships along the way. As you’re on your way to starting your new and exciting plumbing San Antonio career, one way you can prepare is to first have either your high school diploma or GED. This is a basic rule of thumb for any career you strive to achieve. With a career in plumbing, you are going to need good standing knowledge in science, math, and computers. Along with that, courses in blueprint reading and drafting can be resourceful as well. Plumbing San Antonio is becoming a more competitive career as time passes by, so high ACT scores, specifically math, could help you score a crucial plumbing apprenticeship.
Unlike some careers, you don’t have to obtain a college degree in order to start your career in plumbing. But having some coursework in plumbing at either trade school or technical colleges can offer some benefits such as:
- An advantage towards getting a plumbing San Antonio apprenticeship, as the competition can be competitive.
- Some apprenticeships may need you to have coursework before you can apply to them.
- Your course school teacher or school may help you find the proper in and outs for your apprenticeships.
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is the next step towards your career as a plumber and it’s an important one. This is where you will get all of your comprehensive training. This combines on the job learning with coursework to show you what it’s like to be a professional plumber. Apprenticeships can last 4-5 years and you’ll have to complete a certain number of hours so you can earn your plumbers license.
One of the most common ways to get an apprenticeship is through a plumbers union. They can provide you with the required coursework along with field training. When you apply for an apprenticeship, you may be required to take an aptitude test as well as have an ID, driver’s license, or proof of legal work status. If you don’t go through a union for your apprenticeship, you can contact licensed master plumbers who own their own business and ask them to take you on as their apprentice. With that, you may need to find the proper coursework elsewhere.
Getting Your License
Nearing the final steps, you’ll want to obtain your plumber’s license. After all your coursework and on the field training are complete, your next step will be getting this license. Some requirements may vary depending on what state you live in, but in most states, you’ll need to meet the minimum hours as a plumber and pass an exam. In order to take the exam, you’ll have to register for it, as well as studying for the exam and reviewing the material for it. After you pass the exam you’ll be a licensed plumber!
Lastly, after you have obtained your license, you’ll want to start building your way up to master plumber which you can do by continuing your field experience and of course education, and taking a second plumber exam. See if there are any extra certifications you can earn to build up an edge over your competition. Some of these certificates aren’t required but it will give you an advantage over your competitors.
Overall, plumbing San Antonio is a very good career to have and is a good career to work towards for a bright and positive future.