Plumbers are indispensable in our society. They repair bathrooms, toilet sinks, kitchen piping, tanks, boilers; install, repair, replace water, sewerage, heating, and air-conditioning systems, pumps, and radiators. The New World Encyclopedia defines plumbing, which derives its name from the Latin word “plumbum” which means lead – the material of which pipes were made. To become a plumber in British Columbia, you will need a plumbing education at a trade school or technical college and experience as an apprentice.

Demand for Plumbers

Plumbers do not come a dime a dozen anymore. The trade schools sector is declining as the number of skilled manual laborers decrease. The reason is that more aged plumbers are outgoing than those that are incoming. The government council of British Columbia, Canada reports the same tendency. According to the British Columbia Wage and Salary Survey 2009, plumbers are constantly engaged, 99.8% of the time. British Columbian-based plumbers have regular full time employment. The average wage per hour is $30; therefore it works out that a full-time plumber would annually withdraw $60,000, so plumbing is definitely worth the while.

Get educated as a plumber. In the 2009 British Columbia Apprenticeship Student Outcomes Survey, in 2008, 83% of plumbers who were based in British Columbia reported that they were qualified and trained in academic institutions. In 2009, the percentage of certified plumbers increased to 86%. Most plumbers in British Columbia are schooled in the following trade institutions: Pacific Vocational College, British Columbia Institute of Technology, Okanagan College, Piping Industry Trade School, Camosun College, Thompson Rivers University, and North Island College. After electricity and carpentry, plumbing is the third most popular program in British Columbian trade schools.

Industry Training Authority 1223-13351 Commerce Parkway Richmond, B.C. V6V 2X7 604-214-8700

Okanagan College 7000 College Way Vernon, BC V1B 2N5 Canada 250-545-7291 1-800-289-8993

British Columbia Institute of Technology 3700 Willingdon Avenue Burnaby, BC V5G 3H2 Canada 604-456-8100 1-800-667-0676

Piping Industry School Vancouver Lower Mainland 1658 Foster's Way, Annacis Island, Delta, British Columbia, Canada, V3M 6S6. 604-540-1945 877-540-1945

Apply for a plumbing apprenticeship program. Plumbing apprenticeship programs solidify and polish plumbing theory acquired at school. In British Columbia (B.C), plumber apprentices must register in an obligatory program called Apprenticeship Development in B.C. Apprenticeship comes with a cost, contractual agreement with an employer, and certifying examinations. The Industry Training Authority collaborates with the Trades Training Consortium of British Columbia is a government-sponsored body which connects tradesmen-to-be with educational programs and job opportunity. A few more trade schools specializing in British Columbia are the Vancouver Career College and the Ashworth College. It must be pointed out that Ashworth College is solely a distance learning institute. Ashworth offers the career diploma in plumbing. As with any pursuit, the hard work pays off, with the certified, proficient plumber operating with more aplomb!

Vancouver Career College Plumber Foundation 2-8392 Young Road Chilliwack, BC V2P 4N9 Canada? (604) 795-9911? (800)820-3549