Overview
Plumbers install, repair, and maintain plumbing fixtures and systems such as water, hydronic, drainage, waste and vent (DWV), low pressure steam, chemical and irrigation. They also install specialized systems such as medical gas, process piping, compressed air, water conditioners, fuel piping, sewage and water treatment, and storage flow equipment.
Plumbers interpret drawings, refer to layouts of existing services, and review applicable codes and specifications to determine work details and procedures. They locate and mark positions of fixture, pipe connections and sleeves, and cut openings to accommodate pipe and fittings. The Plumber program contains 4 levels that cover the in-school technical portion of the apprenticeship training. All levels of training use applied learning in conjunction with practical exercises.
Apprentices who have:
- completed the required work-place hours (as signed off by the sponsoring employer),
- successfully completed the in-school technical training and,
- passed the interprovincial exam
are eligible to receive a Certificate of Apprenticeship and a Certificate of Qualification with an interprovincial red seal endorsement.
| Apprentice Level 1 Start Date | Workplace hours required | In-school hours required |
| Prior to April 1, 2019 | 5620 hours | 780 hours (in 4 levels of training) |
| On or after April 1, 2019 | 6300 hours | 900 hours (in 4 levels of training) |
Apprentices who successfully complete the highest level of technical training and have received their British Columbia Certificate of Qualification in this trade may apply to receive a BCIT Diploma of Trades Training.
Note: Due to changes in the time-in-trade and technical-training requirements for the Gasfitter – Class B apprenticeship, plumber and steam fitter apprentices beginning their technical training after March 31, 2019 will no longer be eligible to write their Gasfitter – Class B Certificate of Qualification during their plumber or steam fitter apprenticeship. In the new system Plumbers and Steamfitter/Pipefitters are given credit for 1500 of the required 3000 Gasfitter – Class B work-place hours and Level 1 of the Gasfitter – Class B technical, in-school, training. Plumbers and Steamfitters/Pipefitters are required to complete Gasfitter Class B Level 2 and 1500 hours of work experience in the Gasfitter Class B trade in order to be eligible to write the Gasfitter – Class B Certificate of Qualification with Technical Safety BC.
For more information view our career video and check out our Part-time studies page.
Check the Apprenticeship Training Schedules to see available training dates.
Harmonized plumber apprenticeship
The SkilledTradesBC is working with the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship to improve mobility of workers during their apprenticeship across Canada. To achieve this, training outcomes for each level of technical training in a given apprenticeship are being harmonized so that apprentices can easily transfer between jurisdictions during their apprenticeship training. This may also result in changes to the number of work-place hours and in-school hours apprentices are required to complete.
The transition from the current system to the Harmonized system will take place in stages between April 1, 2019 and April 1, 2022.
New Plumber Apprentices starting the program after April 1, 2019 will be required to complete their levels in the harmonized program.
Harmonized apprentice levels will be regularly scheduled as follows:
- Level 1 intakes offered after April 1, 2019
- Level 2 intakes offered after April 1, 2020
- Level 3 intakes offered after April 1, 2021
- Level 4 intakes offered after April 1, 2022
Current Plumber Apprentices will have the following options to complete their training:
Option 1: complete the current program
Apprentices that began their training prior to April 1, 2019 are encouraged to complete each level of their training in their current stream as follows:
- Level 1 before March 31, 2019
- Level 2 before March 31, 2020
- Level 3 before March 31, 2021
- Level 4 before March 31, 2022
If you try to register and the level is unavailable please ask the Apprentice Services Customer Service Representative to add your contact information to the interests list to be notified when additional intakes become available.
Option 2: transition from the current stream to the harmonized stream
Current apprentices that need to transition to the new program will need to complete GAP training in order to enter the new program. Additional training is required to address the gaps in program content as follows:
- Transition from current Level 1 to Harmonized level 2 AFTER April 1, 2020 – 30 hours of GAP training will be required.
Our Mission Statement: To uphold high educational standards through applied technology and practical skills within an ever-changing industry.
Programs and courses are subject to change without notice.