Overview
Program delivery mode: blended
- This program will be primarily online for all semesters except for Level 1, which will be delivered in person, on campus.
- See below for details regarding Levels 2, 3 and 4.
- The first five weeks of level 2 will be taught online; the last two weeks will be in person at the Burnaby campus (seven weeks total)
- The first seven weeks of level 3 will be taught online; the last week will be in person at the Burnaby campus (eight weeks total).
- The first six weeks of level 4 will be taught online last two weeks will be in person at the Burnaby campus (eight weeks total).
- For the online portion you will need an internet connection and a computer. A printer is recommended but not necessary.
You will be able to order your books online from the BCIT Bookstore and have them delivered ahead of time.
Your education is our priority and we will continue to deliver the applied instruction, collaborative experience, and industry connections that you expect from BCIT.
Steamfitters/Pipefitters lay out, assemble, fabricate, maintain, repair and service equipment and piping systems carrying water, steam, fluids, gases, chemicals, and fuel in various systems such as heating, cooling, lubricating and process piping systems. They read and interpret drawings, specifications, and codes to determine layout, type and size of pipe, and tools to use.
They measure, cut, thread, groove, bend, solder, braze, assemble and install metal, plastic and fibreglass pipes, valves and fittings. As well, they must be able to join and secure pipe sections of related equipment. They check systems for leaks. Steamfitters/Pipefitters also do general maintenance work including replacement of worn components.
The Steamfitter/Pipefitter 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 (Harmonized) | 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.
Check the Apprenticeship Training Schedules to see available training dates.
Harmonized Steamfitter/Pipefitter apprenticeship
The Industry Training Authority 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 without missing or repeating training outcomes. 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 Steamfitter/Pipefitter 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 Steamfitter/Pipefitter 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, 2020
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 stream. 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.
Entrance Requirements
Pathways
There are two ways of beginning your new career as a plumber apprentice:
- Take our Piping Foundation program. By working through a series of practical projects and assignments and theory assignments you'll build a solid foundation of knowledge and skills to make you more employable in an entry-level position. By successfully completing the program, you will also receive credit for the in-school portion of Level 1 of our Plumber Apprenticeship training.
- Find employment under a plumber who will register you with SkilledTradesBC. In this option, you are indentured to a company as an apprentice plumber, learning basic skills while you are employed. The advantage here is that you earn while you learn.
Entrance requirements
You must be an active apprentice registered with SkilledTradesBC to register for apprenticeship training at BCIT.
Recommended for success
High school graduation, including:
- English 12 or English language proficiency
- Algebra 11 or Trades Math 11
- Physics 11 or Science and Technology 11
Apprentices with medical or physical difficulties should contact Accessibility Services to arrange an interview with the Institute’s rehabilitation specialist.
International applicants
BCIT welcomes apprentice training requests from Canadian citizens and permanent residents only. View programs that accept international students
Scheduled Intakes
Multiple start dates each year.
Please refer to the Apprenticeship Training Schedule for availability of upcoming intakes.
Register for Apprentice Training
To register for apprentice training:
- Consult the training schedule to find a date that is suitable to both you and your employer.
- Create your BCIT ID if you don’t already have one.
- Register by phone or email.
- Pay the $200 commitment fee.
Disclosure of personal information & privacy notice
BCIT Apprentice Services reserves the right to communicate with SkilledTradesBC and your active employer sponsor about your registration, progress, and related academic information. BCIT also shares apprentice registration information with Work BC. If you have questions about the protection of your personal information, you may contact the BCIT Information Access and Privacy Office.
myCommunication
Within two business days of submitting your apprentice training request, BCIT will send a message to your personal and myBCIT e-mail addresses. All correspondence regarding your training request will be posted to your online myCommunication account at my.bcit.ca. We'll send you an e-mail when a new message is posted. It's important to watch for these e-mails or regularly check your account online.
You can expect to receive communication concerning the status of your training request within four weeks.
Costs & Supplies
Tuition fees
Use our tuition estimator to find tuition and fees for this program.
For more information on tuition and fees, visit Apprenticeship Training Tuition & Fees.
Books & supplies
Apprentices are expected to supply their own CSA approved steel-toed boots, hard hats and safety glasses.
Cost of books: Year 2: $140; Year 3: $125; Year 4: $80
(general estimated cost, subject to change)
Students are required to supply their own coveralls. A supply of coveralls are available through the BCIT Bookstore. Please check the uniform authorization voucher [PDF] to determine the type of coveralls required for your program.
Financial assistance
Income support for apprentices is provided by Human Resource Development Canada (HRDC) through regular Employment Insurance (EI) eligibility. For questions regarding Employment Insurance or Personal Support Payments, please visit the income support overview for current BCIT apprentices.
Courses
Class hours
0730-1400, Monday through Friday
Please refer to the Apprenticeship Training Schedule for class hours and availability of upcoming intakes.
Program matrix
| Level 1 (7 weeks) | Credits | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ASTF 1GAP | Steamfitter/Pipefitter Apprentice Level 1 Final Grade - Harmonized Trade | 14.0 | |
| Level 2 (7 weeks) | Credits | ||
| ASTF 2GAP | Steamfitter/Pipefitter Apprentice Level 2 Final Grade - Harmonized Trade | 14.0 | |
| Level 3 (8 weeks) | Credits | ||
| ASTF 3GAP | Steamfitter/Pipefitter Apprentice Level 3 Final Grade - Harmonized Trade | 16.0 | |
| Level 4 (8 weeks) | Credits | ||
| ASTF 4GAP | Steamfitter/Pipefitter Apprentice Level 4 Final Grade - Harmonized Trade | 16.0 | |
| Total Credits: | 60.0 | ||
Transfer credit
Do you have credits from another BC/Yukon post-secondary school? Do you want to know if they transfer to courses here at BCIT? Check out BCIT's Transfer Equivalency Database to find out.
Program Details
Program length
Current Stream: The total amount of in-school training for a Steamfitter/Pipefitter apprenticeship is 780 hours. There are four levels of training. The first three levels are six weeks each in length and the fourth level is eight weeks.
Harmonized Stream: The total amount of in-school training for Steamfitter/Pipefitter apprenticeship is 900 hours. There are four levels of traning. Levels 1 and 2 are 7 weeks; Levels 3 and 4 are 8 weeks.
Grading
Minimum passing grade is 70 per cent.
Program delivery
In person: This program is delivered on campus.
Program location
Burnaby Campus
3700 Willingdon Avenue
Burnaby, BC
Graduating & Jobs
Graduate employment outcomes
The BCIT student outcomes report presents summary findings from the annual survey of former students administered by BC Stats one to two years after graduation. These reports combine the last three years of available results for the 2021-2023 BCIT Outcomes Surveys of 2020-2022 graduates and for Degree 2019-2021 graduates. The reports are organized into three-page summaries containing information on graduates’ labour market experiences and opinions regarding their education. More detailed information can be accessed at the BC Student Outcomes website.
To view these results, you may need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed in your Web browser.
Credential
BCIT offers a Diploma of Trades Training for apprentices who have successfully completed their technical training at BCIT and have been granted a British Columbia Trades Qualification (IP/TQ). In trades where there is no requirement to complete a Trades Qualification (TQ), a Certificate of Apprenticeship is acceptable. Please see the BCIT apprenticeship training section of the website for more information.
Faculty, Advisors & Staff
If after reviewing the information on our web pages you still have questions regarding our program, please contact any one of us. It would be our pleasure to help you with additional information.
 |
Steve Gilles, Department Head Plumbing IP, “B” Gas Certification Tel: 604-456-1225 Email: sgilles8@bcit.ca |
 |
Rick Lindberg, Faculty Steamfitting IP, “B” Gas Certification Tel: 604-456-1225 Email: rlindberg3@bcit.ca |
Part-time Studies
- Plumbing Apprenticeship I.P. Refresher – Distance Education
- Plumbing Interprovincial Training – Distance Education
Contact Us
Steve Gilles
Department Head
Tel: 604-456-1225
Email: sgilles8@bcit.ca
BCIT Apprentice Services
For more information on this or other apprenticeship programs, tuition fees and when programs are offered, please contact BCIT Apprentice Services at:
Office Location: Building SW1, First Floor
Burnaby campusPhone: 604-456-8100
1-800-667-0676 (BC)Fax: 604-435-1197 On the web: bcit.ca/apprenticeship
BCIT Apprentice Services can assist apprentices with their registration, tuition fee payments, and other details.
Anyone interested in registering as an apprentice can contact SkilledTradesBC at 778-328-8700 or 1-866-660-6011 (BC). BCIT's Apprentice Services can also assist individuals interested in entering apprentice training.
Questions or comments?
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