Every building needs water in and water out, so plumbers are needed in every economy. The work is hands-on, varied and well paid once you’re trained. Here’s how to get started on Long Island.
How plumbers learn
Plumbing is learned through an apprenticeship. It’s a paid job where you work alongside experienced plumbers and take classes on the side. In a New York State registered apprenticeship:
- You earn a paycheck while you learn, and training is usually free to you.
- Classes are usually in the evening at a trade school, community college or BOCES.
- Programs last one to six years depending on the trade.
- You need to be 18, or 16 to 17 with a parent’s approval, and usually a high school diploma or equivalent.
The union route: Plumbers Local 200
Plumbers Local 200 covers Nassau and Suffolk and is based at 375 Central Avenue in Bohemia. It doesn’t take applications all year; it holds recruitments for a set number of spots. In its past recruitments, applicants had to:
- Be at least 18.
- Have a high school diploma or equivalency (such as a GED or TASC).
- Live in Nassau or Suffolk when they applied.
- Have a valid New York State driver’s license.
- Pass a drug test after being selected.
Applications were taken in person at the Bohemia office. Past notices also said apprentices buy their own textbooks for classes, about $200 a year. These details come from older recruitment notices, so call Local 200 at (631) 567-3083 or check the state’s apprenticeship announcements for the current rules and dates.
Past recruitments were for 20 spots at a time, so they’re competitive. Don’t wait on one. Work at a plumbing shop in the meantime, and the experience will help your application.
The non-union route: a plumbing shop
Plenty of plumbing shops on Long Island hire apprentices and helpers directly. You might start on service calls, new construction or remodels. Before you say yes, ask:
- Is this a state-registered apprenticeship? If not, how is my training documented?
- What’s the pay now, and how does it go up as I learn?
- Who pays for classes?
- Will I work under a licensed plumber?
Either way, log every day you work. Years of documented experience are what you need for a license.
Licenses on Long Island
You don’t need a license to start as an apprentice. You’ll need one later to run jobs on your own:
- Suffolk County licenses master plumbers through a county plumbing licensing board. The county code requires applicants to be at least 21 with seven years of experience in the trade within the past ten years.
- Nassau County leaves plumber licensing to its towns, cities and villages, so the rules depend on where you work.
What you can do this week
- Find your diploma or GED, and make sure your driver’s license is current.
- Call Local 200 to ask about the next recruitment.
- Visit a plumbing shop. Seeing a crew at work is the fastest way to know if this trade is for you.