Just like many other professions, becoming a plumber requires determination and a lot of preparation. Here are the right steps to take if you need to achieve your dream of becoming a plumber in Texas:
Step 1: Complete Your High School Education
The most important step toward becoming a plumber in the state of Texas is earning a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate. To have the best apprenticeship and job prospects, be sure to pass technical subjects such as mathematics and sciences with flying colors.
Step 2: Get a Vocational Training
To be a certified plumber, it is not a must that you have a college degree. However, fast track or quick plumbing courses offered by reputable community colleges and technical schools in Texas play a major role in helping you get into a good apprenticeship program.
These are short-term courses, which typically take from six months to one year to complete. Coursework covers water supply and drainage systems as well as venting, valves and piping.
Step 3: Complete an Apprenticeship Program
Plumbing apprenticeship programs are meant to equip you with the most comprehensive training on how to be a professional plumber. They are provided by local unions of plumbers and their affiliates or by non-union contractors such as the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada.
Apprenticeship programs combine classroom instruction with paid on-the-job training and take about four to five years to complete. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), on-the-job training should take a total of 1,700 or more hours per year in order to cover all aspects of trade.
As an apprentice, you not only learn about local plumbing codes but also about all types of plumbing procedures, from installing plumbing fixtures to repairing and maintaining pipes. You also get a chance to learn special plumbing skills such as choosing plumbing fittings and materials, identifying grades and how to use tools of the trade correctly.
Step 4: Get Licensed
After passing through the apprenticeship program successfully, you are ready to start working as a journeyman plumber, gas plumber or a service plumber in Texas. However, you must first get a license from the relevant authorities before getting started. To acquire the license, you have to sit for a three-part exam (one written and two hands-on), which is administered by the Texas State of Plumbing Examiners.
Before you sit for the exam, you are required to provide your high school diploma or GED certificate, a current Texas plumber's apprentice registration, a valid plumber experience document from a skilled employer and a filled out license exam/application form along with the applicable fees.
Step 5: Look for Employment
After sitting for and passing the exam as required by the state, you are free to start looking for employment at your local plumbing companies. To increase your chances of getting a job, send out copies of your resume to different companies and attend various plumbing conferences where you can meet potential employers.
The information on this site is meant as general information on the topic of becoming a plumber in Texas and may contain incorrect or outdated information. Research local and state plumbing resources for requirements and more specific details. You can also contact some local Texas plumbing companies to get more general information and specific requirements, details and some other options that may work out better for your career goals in plumbing.