How to Become a Plumber in Florida

As a plumber, you would install piping fixtures and systems as well as provide repairs and maintenance on them. This could include work in residential, industrial, governmental and commercial settings in bathrooms, kitchens and other areas where piping is present.

There is plenty of job opportunity working as a plumber in Florida or around the country, and this occupation pays well in relation to the fact that professionals generally get started through on-the-job training.

Requirements for Becoming a Plumber in Florida

You can become a plumber with a high school diploma or GED. It’s not required for you to go through an educational program to get started in this role, although plumbing programs do exist through vocational and technical schools.

These programs can teach you about various plumbing systems such as:

Water pressure
Vent sizing
Water distribution
Drainage systems
Expansion tanks and relief valves

The common way to become a plumber is to perform an apprenticeship as a form of on-the-job plumbing training. These paid apprenticeships tend to include 2,000 hours of training in addition to technical instruction per year for four to five years.

Check into apprenticeship training programs in advance. Some require welding courses before you start and some may include the technical instruction you would receive through a separate training course. Sometimes the apprenticeship is part of a career or technical school.

Plumbing Schools in Florida

You can find various apprenticeships and plumbing training programs in Florida. Consider one of the following trade schools below:

UA Local 295 Plumbers & Pipefitters Joint Apprenticeship: Located in Daytona Beach, this apprenticeship takes place on Saturdays and lasts for five years.
South Florida Institute of Technology: The plumbing technician course in Miami teaches plumbing knowledge, water supply systems and more in preparation for plumber apprenticeships.
Orange Technical College: This is a paid apprenticeship with no-cost training that takes place in Winter Park.
The College of the Florida Keys: This is an apprenticeship that includes paid on-the-job training as well as classroom instruction. It takes place in the Middle Keys.

Financial aid may be available to those who qualify, contact the financial office of the institution you are interested in for more information.

Working as an Apprentice Plumber in Florida

An apprenticeship is a common path to becoming a plumber in Florida as well as in other states. This path allows you to start on-the-job training so you’re immediately working and being paid in the profession.

As an apprentice, you work with a master or journeyman plumber who has experience in the field. You learn from a trained, experienced professional as you assist with small tasks. As you gain years of experience and qualifications, you work your way up to the journeyman and master levels to increase your pay and your job opportunities.

The experience you gain as an apprentice is essential for fulfilling the four-year experience requirements of gaining licensing to practice as a plumber in Florida. In general, a plumbing apprenticeship in Florida tends to last four to five years, and includes instruction on plumbing and 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training per year.

Plumbing apprenticeships in Florida are posted on regular job board websites such as Indeed and ZipRecruiter. The Florida Department of Education has a site with registered apprenticeship programs. Or you can perform a Google search for a program that is local to you. For example, these are some local plumbing apprenticeships in Florida:

Broward County Plumbers & Pipefitters JATC, Fort Lauderdale
Plumbers & Pipefitters of Daytona Beach UA 295, Daytona Beach
The College of the Florida Keys, Middle Keys
Orange Technical College, Winter Park

Certification or Licensing for Becoming a Plumber in Florida

To be a plumber in Florida, you need a license from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, which requires showing you have four years of work experience or a combination of education and experience. You need to pass an exam. You also need insurance, including property damage, public liability and worker’s compensation insurance.

You have the option to get certification in certain plumbing specialties to improve your job prospects. Also, there are different licensing levels, and you can move up from an apprentice to a journeyman to a master plumber as you gain experience.

Career Outlook and Salary Expectations

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), plumbers have an anticipated job outlook growth of 15 percent from 2020 to 2030. This growth rate is considered much faster than the average across all occupations, and this means increasing opportunities in the field expected over the coming years.

The average plumber salary in Florida is $22.94 per hour or $47,710 per year, according to Indeed. This is lower than the national average. It’s also likely for a plumber to make overtime income.

Working as a Plumber in Florida

Most plumbers work for plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors, states the BLS. Alternatively, some are self-employed or work for construction, government or manufacturing employers. The work is usually full-time but can be as-needed and can involve being on call during evenings and weekends in case of a piping emergency.

Working in the plumbing industry in Florida could provide you with good job prospects in a steady career field. You can get started as an apprentice through on-the-job training or start with a training program.