How to Become a Plumber in Australia
Plumbing is one of those trades Australia is always going to need.
As long as we have houses, buildings, bathrooms, kitchens, water and people flushing things they probably shouldn't, we'll need plumbers.
It's also a much broader trade than fixing blocked toilets.
Plumbers can work across residential construction, commercial buildings, maintenance, drainage, roofing, gas, fire services and major infrastructure.
The usual pathway into the industry is through a plumbing apprenticeship, where you'll earn a wage while learning the trade and completing your formal qualification.
Here's how to get started.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Plumber?
A plumbing apprenticeship generally takes around four years.
You'll combine paid employment with formal training through a TAFE or another Registered Training Organisation.
Most of your practical development happens while working alongside qualified plumbers on real jobs.
As you progress through the apprenticeship, you'll gradually move from basic tasks to more complicated plumbing work.
Becoming fully licensed can involve additional requirements depending on the type of plumbing work you want to perform and the state or territory where you're working.
What Qualification Do You Need to Become a Plumber?
The standard trade qualification is generally the Certificate III in Plumbing (CPC32420).
The qualification covers a range of skills used within the plumbing industry.
Depending on your apprenticeship and training pathway, this can include areas such as:
- Water services
- Sanitary plumbing
- Drainage
- Gas services
- Roofing
- Mechanical services
Plumbing licensing is regulated at state and territory level, so the exact requirements for performing particular types of plumbing work can vary depending on where you live.
Completing your apprenticeship is the major foundation, but always check the licensing requirements that apply where you intend to work.
Step 1: Find a Plumbing Apprenticeship
The first major challenge is finding an employer willing to take you on.
Plumbing apprentices can work for businesses including:
- Residential plumbing companies
- Maintenance plumbers
- Commercial plumbing contractors
- Construction companies
- Roofing plumbers
- Drainage contractors
- Mechanical services companies
- Group Training Organisations
You aren't expected to already know how to be a plumber.
That's why you're applying for an apprenticeship.
Employers are looking for someone they can train.
Do You Need Experience to Get a Plumbing Apprenticeship?
Not necessarily.
You can start a plumbing apprenticeship without previous plumbing experience.
Relevant experience can still make you more attractive to employers.
That could include:
- Construction labouring
- Work experience
- A plumbing pre-apprenticeship
- Experience using tools
- Previous trade experience
- School-based vocational training
Even having a history of unrelated employment can help.
An employer wants to know that you're capable of turning up on time, following instructions and working consistently.
If you've already demonstrated that somewhere else, include it on your resume.
What Do Employers Look for in a Plumbing Apprentice?
Attitude matters enormously when you're applying for your first apprenticeship.
Employers know they need to teach you the technical side.
What they don't want to teach you is how to turn up to work.
Good apprentice candidates tend to be:
- Reliable
- Punctual
- Willing to learn
- Practical
- Comfortable with physical work
- Good at following instructions
- Safety conscious
- Able to communicate
- Comfortable working with others
- Interested in the trade
Having a driver's licence and reliable transport can also be extremely useful.
Plumbers travel.
A lot.
Do You Need a Plumbing Pre-Apprenticeship?
Not always.
A pre-apprenticeship can introduce you to basic plumbing and construction skills before starting the full apprenticeship.
It can be useful if you:
- Have no trade experience
- Recently left school
- Are changing careers
- Want to test whether plumbing suits you
- Are struggling to find an apprenticeship
Completing one can also demonstrate to employers that you're serious about getting into the trade.
But don't assume you need to finish a pre-apprenticeship before you can start applying.
If you can find an employer willing to take you on directly, you may be able to begin the actual apprenticeship without one.
Do You Need a White Card?
If you're working on construction sites, you'll generally need to complete the required general construction induction training, commonly known as getting a White Card.
It's one of the basic requirements worth sorting out if you're serious about finding a trade apprenticeship.
Having it already organised can make it easier to start work quickly.
Do You Need a Driver's Licence?
A driver's licence is extremely useful in plumbing.
Many plumbers work from vehicles and travel between multiple jobs throughout the day.
Even construction plumbers may need to get themselves to different sites as projects change.
Public transport at 6am with a tool bag isn't exactly the dream.
If you're old enough to drive, having your licence and reliable transport can significantly improve your employment options.
What Does a Plumbing Apprentice Do?
As a first-year apprentice, you'll start with the basics.
You could spend your time:
- Carrying materials
- Measuring and cutting pipe
- Preparing tools
- Assisting qualified plumbers
- Digging
- Installing basic pipework
- Learning fittings and materials
- Cleaning work areas
- Attending formal training
And yes, plumbing can involve digging.
Sometimes quite a lot of digging.
As you progress through the apprenticeship, you'll gradually take on more complicated tasks and develop a better understanding of plumbing systems.
What Does a Qualified Plumber Do?
Plumbers install, maintain and repair systems that move water, waste, gas and other services through buildings and infrastructure.
Depending on their qualifications and licensing, plumbing work can include:
- Water supply
- Hot water systems
- Toilets
- Showers
- Sinks
- Drainage
- Sewer systems
- Gas installations
- Roof drainage
- Stormwater
- Commercial plumbing systems
- Maintenance and repairs
The actual job varies enormously depending on what area of plumbing you enter.
Residential Plumbing
Residential plumbers work in houses, apartments and other homes.
The work can include:
- New home plumbing
- Renovations
- Bathrooms
- Kitchens
- Hot water systems
- Toilets
- Taps
- Drainage
- Leak repairs
- General maintenance
Residential service plumbers can visit several customers in one day.
New construction plumbers may spend much longer working across housing developments and building sites.
Commercial Plumbing
Commercial plumbers work on larger buildings and developments.
That can include:
- Offices
- Shopping centres
- Hospitals
- Schools
- Hotels
- Apartment developments
- Industrial buildings
The plumbing systems can be significantly larger and more complex than those found in a house.
Commercial construction can also provide opportunities to work on major projects with larger teams.
Maintenance Plumbing
Maintenance plumbers spend their time keeping existing plumbing systems working.
That means dealing with the things people call plumbers about when something has already gone wrong.
Typical work can include:
- Leaking taps
- Burst pipes
- Blocked drains
- Broken toilets
- Hot water problems
- Water leaks
- General plumbing repairs
Service and maintenance plumbing can provide plenty of variety.
You also deal directly with customers, so communication skills matter.
Sometimes explaining the problem is almost as important as fixing it.
Drainage Plumbing
Drainage is a major part of the plumbing trade.
Drainage plumbers work on systems carrying wastewater and stormwater away from buildings.
The work can involve:
- Sewer drains
- Stormwater
- Underground pipework
- Drain repairs
- Blockages
- New construction
This part of the trade can involve plenty of outdoor work and excavation.
If you're expecting plumbing to involve spending every day neatly installing shiny taps in brand-new bathrooms, drainage may come as a surprise.
Roofing Plumbing
Roof plumbers work on systems that manage water around roofs and buildings.
Depending on licensing and location, work can include:
- Gutters
- Downpipes
- Flashings
- Roof drainage
- Metal roofing
Working at heights is obviously a major part of this area.
Roof plumbing can be physically demanding and involves plenty of exposure to the weather.
Gas Plumbing
Some plumbers develop qualifications and licensing allowing them to perform gas work.
Gas fitting can involve installing, servicing and repairing gas systems and appliances.
Because of the safety risks involved, gas work is regulated and specific licensing requirements apply.
The exact requirements depend on your state or territory.
Is Plumbing Physically Hard?
It can be.
Plumbers may spend time:
- Digging trenches
- Carrying pipe
- Crawling under houses
- Working in roof spaces
- Climbing ladders
- Working at heights
- Kneeling
- Working in confined areas
Some parts of plumbing are much more physical than others.
A construction plumber installing underground drainage can have a very different day from a maintenance plumber diagnosing a hot water problem.
Is Plumbing Dirty?
Sometimes.
There's no point pretending otherwise.
Plumbers deal with drainage and sewer systems, and occasionally the thing that's blocked isn't something you'd particularly like to inspect.
But not every plumber spends their entire career dealing with sewage.
New construction plumbing can involve installing completely new systems that haven't even been used yet.
Commercial, roofing, gas and mechanical plumbing can involve very different working environments.
The trade is much broader than blocked toilets.
Do Plumbers Need to Be Good at Maths?
Basic practical maths is important.
Plumbers regularly need to work with:
- Measurements
- Pipe lengths
- Gradients
- Levels
- Angles
- Volumes
- Material quantities
Drainage is a good example.
Pipes need the correct fall to work properly.
Water is annoyingly unwilling to flow uphill just because the apprentice measured something incorrectly.
You'll learn the relevant calculations throughout your training.
What Tools Do Plumbers Use?
Plumbers use a wide variety of tools depending on the work they're doing.
These can include:
- Pipe cutters
- Wrenches
- Pliers
- Levels
- Tape measures
- Drills
- Press tools
- Drain cleaning equipment
- Hand tools
- Testing equipment
Specialised plumbing equipment can get expensive.
As an apprentice, ask your employer what you're expected to provide rather than immediately buying everything in the plumbing aisle.
You'll have years to build your tool collection.
How Much Do Plumbers Earn?
Qualified plumbers can earn strong incomes.
Your earning potential depends on factors including:
- Experience
- Location
- Residential or commercial work
- Overtime
- Allowances
- Specialisation
- Licensing
- Supervisory responsibilities
- Self-employment
Commercial construction, major projects and specialised plumbing work can provide access to attractive earnings.
Running a successful plumbing business can increase the potential ceiling considerably.
Can Plumbers Work for Themselves?
Yes.
Plumbing provides a strong pathway towards running your own business once you've gained the necessary experience and met the licensing requirements.
A plumbing business can provide services such as:
- Maintenance
- Emergency plumbing
- Renovations
- Hot water
- Drainage
- Gas
- Residential construction
- Commercial work
Plumbing can be particularly attractive for self-employment because customers regularly need urgent repairs.
A leaking pipe doesn't tend to wait patiently until next month.
Where Can a Plumbing Career Take You?
A plumbing qualification can lead to careers across:
- Residential construction
- Commercial construction
- Maintenance
- Drainage
- Roofing
- Gas
- Mechanical services
- Major projects
- Supervision
- Estimating
- Project management
- Business ownership
You don't need to decide exactly where you'll end up before starting.
Your apprenticeship gives you the foundation.
Experience will help you work out which parts of the trade you actually enjoy.
Is Becoming a Plumber Worth It?
For plenty of people, yes.
Plumbing gives you a practical trade that's required anywhere people live and work.
You can earn while completing your apprenticeship and eventually build a career across construction, maintenance, commercial projects and specialised services.
There's also a strong pathway into self-employment.
The downside is that plumbing can be physical, messy and involve early starts.
And every now and then, someone will hand you a problem that makes you seriously question what they thought was acceptable to flush down a toilet.
But if you enjoy practical problem solving and want a trade with strong long-term career options, plumbing is definitely worth considering.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to become a plumber in Australia?
A plumbing apprenticeship generally takes around four years and combines paid employment with formal trade training.
What qualification do you need to become a plumber?
The standard trade qualification is generally the Certificate III in Plumbing (CPC32420). Additional licensing requirements can apply depending on the work and your state or territory.
Can you become a plumber with no experience?
Yes. Plumbing apprenticeships are designed to train people entering the trade. Relevant construction experience can help you find an employer but isn't necessarily required.
Do plumbers need a licence?
Plumbing work is regulated in Australia, with licensing and registration requirements varying between states and territories and different types of plumbing work.
Is plumbing a hard trade?
Plumbing can be physically demanding and involves technical knowledge, problem solving and working in a range of environments.
Can plumbers work for themselves?
Yes. Experienced plumbers who meet the relevant licensing and business requirements can operate their own plumbing businesses.