Salt Lake Community College: College Plumbing Program Highlights

Press release from Salt Lake Community College:

March 11, 2022

March 11 is World Plumbing Day, established by the World Plumbing Council (WPC) in 2010. The council designated the day to build connections and find opportunities to improve the quality and access of fresh water and safe sanitation.

Trade services help maintain the comfortable conditions we experience every day. We tend to forget that almost everything — buildings, food establishments and production, services and more — requires clean water and safe sanitation; this continued need for plumbing services translates to stable job opportunities. As of May 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics listed Utah as having a higher share of employment than average in plumbers. Utah plumbers’ make a mean annual wage of $54,070 and a mean hourly wage of $26.

SLCC Plumbing Programs

Why join an apprenticeship program at SLCC? The college’s competency-based education reduces the time it takes to complete a program, ensuring students gain the experience necessary for their desired field, graduate and enter the job market as soon as possible.

Other major benefits of SLCC are program flexibility and financial inclusion. Courses are offered during varying times and days to meet most schedules, and apprenticeship tuition costs remain low through a 50% reduced cost of tuition.

SLCC offers the Plumber Independent and Plumber/Pipefitter Apprenticeship Training programs for professional licensure through the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL). Both programs foster collaboration with instructors, other students and an apprenticeship, allowing them to learn from a wide breadth of people with varied backgrounds.

After completing a program and earning a plumbing license in Utah, graduates may be eligible for licensure reciprocity in other states, an agreement that allows states to coordinate license transfers for qualified plumbers filling a vacant position. The agreement enables graduates to find jobs outside Utah without applying for additional state licensure.

Plumber Independent Program

Through the Plumber Independent program, students will complete requirements to apply for professional licensure through the DOPL. Completing the program takes up to five years. As a student in the program, they will:

• Work as an apprentice for a company that will work with the DOPL to grant licensure (required).
• Complete a minimum of 8,000 hours of on-the-job training.
• Complete 576 hours of classroom instruction.

Estimated program fees are $14 per semester and the cost of tuition for five credits per semester is $444.25.
The Plumbing Independent program’s coursework provides students with the necessary information to complete various installation practices, repair and service work, which they will apply while working on-site.

Plumber/Pipefitter JATC Technology Program

The Plumber/Pipefitter JATC Technology program prepares students to apply for professional licensure through the DOPL. Completing the Plumber Independent program takes up to six years. As a student in the program, they will become an apprentice for a company that will work with the DOPL to grant licensure (required).

This press release was produced by Salt Lake Community College. The views expressed here are the author’s own.