Plumbing Apprenticeship Certificate
At a Glance
Get in the Pipeline for an In-Demand Plumbing Career!
In our Plumbing Apprenticeship training program, you will learn residential, commercial, and industrial electrical applications. Continue to work fulltime while attending classes at Carroll and achieve Journeyman status in just 4 years!
Duration:
4 years of classes & on-the-job training
Schedule:
September – May; classes meet 2 nights a week from 6 – 9:15 p.m
Program Cost:**
$2,500 (up to 100% may be covered by the Ratcliffe Works Grant; Apply for Assistance)
Certification Earned:
Journeyman license through Maryland Department of Labor
Eligibility
Apprentices in program must be employed by a licensed plumbing company.
Median Annual Wage:*
$62,970
Helpful Resources
What You’ll Learn
In the Plumbing Apprenticeship Program, you’ll build a strong foundation in the real-world plumbing skills employers seek. Through hands-on training and expert instruction, you’ll learn how to:
- Read and interpret blueprints and plumbing codes
- Lay out, assemble, and install piping systems and fixtures
- Work with a variety of systems, including:
- Steam
- Natural gas & oil
- Hot water & heating
- Cooling & drainage
- Lubricating & sprinkling systems
- Industrial processing systems
- Service both residential and commercial properties
- Ensure safety and code compliance in every projec
Curriculum
The Plumbing Apprenticeship Program coursework combines expert-led classroom instruction at Carroll’s campus with practical on-the-job training.
- Refresher math for plumbing, squares, square roots, & basic geometry (18 hours)
- First Aid AND CPR (6 hours)
- Jobsite safety (6 hours)
- Introduction to OSHA and MOSHA (6 hours)
- Plumbing history (3 hours)
- Care and use of tools (3 hours)
- Finish and repair tools (3 hours)
- National Standard Plumbing Code – PHCC 2009 w/2010 supplemental (15 hours)
- Basic principles of plumbing (9 hours) Gases used in plumbing (9 hours)
- Mechanical properties (6 hours)
- Protection of building materials/structures (9 hours)
- Piping materials used in plumbing work (15 hours) Piping standards (10 hours)
- Joining methods for DWV and pressure piping (10 hours) Plumbing fixtures (8 hours)
- Faucets and related devices (10 hours)
- Valves, valve parts and their functions (10 hours)
- Water heaters (3 hours)
- Solar water heaters (3 hours)
- Building plans, drawings, and scale rulers (6 hours)
- Sketching-symbols and detail (3 hours)
FIRST YEAR – 171 HOURS
- Plumbing math Pythagorean theorem, finding angles, calculating offsets: simple, rolling, and parallel runs of pipe (15 hours)
- Reading commercial drawings (20 hours)
- Hangers, supports, structural penetrations, and fire stopping (10 hours)
- Installing and testing DWV piping (21 hours)
- Installing roof, floor, and area drains (5 hours)
- Types of valves (5 hours)
- Installing and testing water supply piping (20 hours)
- Installing fixtures, valves, and faucets (20 hours)
- Introduction to plumbing-related electrical applications (12 hours)
- Installing water heaters (5 hours)
- Fuel gas systems (15 hours)
- Servicing of fixtures, valves, and faucets (5 hours)
SECOND YEAR – 153 HOURS
- Applied math – math concepts used on the job (18 hours)
- CPR refresher (3 hours) Sizing water supply piping (20 hours)
- Portable water treatment (15 hours)
- Backflow preventers (20 hours)
- Types of venting (20 hours)
- Sizing DWV and storm systems (20 hours)
- Sewage pumps and sump pumps (17 hours)
- Corrosive-resistant waste piping (10 hours)
- Principles of compressed air systems (10 hours)
*Included in third year is Backflow prevention training by outside contractor.
THIRD YEAR – 153 HOURS
- Refresher math and review years 1, 2, and 3 (6 hours)
- Business principles for plumbers (16 hours)
- Introductory skills for the crew leader (16 hours)
- Water pressure booster and recirculation systems (18 hours)
- Indirect and special waste (12 hours)
- Hydronic and solar heating systems (15 hours)
- Codes – Written, adopted, modified, and implemented (9 hours)
- Servicing piping systems, fixtures, appliances (21 hours)
- Private water supply well systems (10 hours)
- Private waste disposal systems (10 hours)
- Swimming pools and hot tubs (10 hours)
- Plumbing for mobile homes and travel trailers (10 hours)
FOURTH YEAR – 153 HOURS
Licensure/Certification Earned
Students who successfully complete the Plumbing Apprenticeship Program and pass the Journeyman Plumber exam will earn their Journeyman license and be prepared to take their Master Plumber exam.
Why Choose Carroll’s Plumbing Apprenticeship Program?
- Earn While You Learn: Continue to work fulltime while attending classes.
- Fast Track Your Career: Achieve Journeyman status in just 4 years.
- High Demand: Local plumbing companies are hiring and ready to invest in trained workers.
- Affordable: Up to 100% of the program cost may be covered by the Ratcliffe Works grant for eligible participants.
- Job Security: With experienced plumbers retiring, new job opportunities are opening regularly.
- Industry-Aligned Curriculum: Our program is shaped by local business leaders and industry experts, ensuring you learn the skills employers are looking for right now. View our Advisory Boards.
Get Paid to Prepare for This In-Demand Career
Career Outlook
Employment opportunities for plumbers is projected to grow 6% from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations. This growth is expected to result in approximately 43,300 job openings annually, primarily due to the need to replace workers who retire or transition to other occupations.
Journeyman plumbers, having achieved a significant professional milestone, can work in residential and commercial plumbing, specialize in areas such as pipefitting, steamfitting, or sprinkler fitting, and potentially advance into supervisory or management roles.
Overall, the plumbing profession offers a stable and rewarding career path, with ample opportunities for advancement and specialization.
- Is work experience required for apprenticeships?
Work experience is not necessary, but you must be at least 18 years old to enroll. - Is financial assistance available?
Yes! Through Ratcliffe Works and other programs, students may qualify to have up to 100% of the cost of the program covered. Check your eligibility today. - Where do I train?
Some instruction takes place in the classroom on Carroll’s campus. The apprentice will also work fulltime for a local plumbing company for their on-the-job-training. - When do I start work?
Once your apprenticeship is approved, if you do not already work for a plumbing company, your name will go into a pool of apprentices looking for work. Because we cannot guarantee job placement, we strongly recommend that you contact plumbing companies in your area and inquire if they are hiring apprentices. - When do I start school?
You may begin related professional classroom instruction in September as long as we obtain your sponsoring employer’s approval
Get Started Today
410-386-8100 | wbce@carrollcc.edu | Building A, Room 115
*Wages are based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and are estimates only.
**Unless noted, cost does not include any required textbooks and related materials, applicable licensing fees, background check fees, testing fees or prerequisite courses.