An apprenticeship is an opportunity in which students gain specific skills and knowledge related to a trade or craft. Training combines supervised daily on-the-job instruction, with classroom instruction in subjects related to the trade
An apprentice is an individual who has entered into a written agreement with an employer and is provided an opportunity to learn a trade. An apprentice will learn how to install pipes and equipment, how to take care of tools, how to read blueprints, and how to follow regulations and codes. You will study first aid and safety, math and science, heating systems and refrigeration, pumps and hydronics, basic electricity and more.
First, apprentices earn money while working on the job to learn your trade. Also, training is low-cost, and employers pay for all or most of it. In apprenticeship programs, students learn from experts in the classroom and on the job. A strong background in reading, writing, and math, as well as mechanical aptitude is very helpful for success in an apprenticeship program.
It will take five years of training to become a journeyman plumber, pipefitter, or HVAC Technician.
Finish High School! This is a must. You need at least one year of Algebra. Science courses and English are important also. If you can take vocational-technical courses like drafting or blue-print reading, it’s a good idea to do so. A good attendance record shows that you are dependable.
Working conditions can be rugged, and the work can be difficult. You may have to work in cramped, uncomfortable positions or outside in bad weather. There is danger involved in working in high places and on construction sites. That being said, the industry is very concerned with safety, and you will be trained in Safety and First-Aid.
Plumbers install and repair pipes that carry water, waste, drainage, and natural gas in buildings. They cut, bend, and join pipes; they install fixtures and appliances, such as bathtubs, toilets, dishwashers, and water heaters. They work from blueprints and drawings that show them where to put the pipes and fixtures.
Pipefitters require similar skills as plumbers, but they work on large industrial piping systems that carry steam, gases, and chemicals which supply power, heating, or refrigeration.
HVAC means “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning” and may include refrigeration too. HVAC Technicians install, maintain, and repair the equipment used to warm, cool, and circulate air in homes and buildings.