Te mahi korere me te kapuni
Plumbing and Gasfitting
Plumbing and gasfitting are great areas to get into if you’re mechanically minded and you enjoy hands-on work and solving problems.
You can earn well too: around $60,000 after three years on the job and over $100,000 a year with several years’ experience. Plumbing and gasfitting are also good pathways into self-employment (approximately 90% of plumbers and gasfitters are self-employed).
Careers for plumbers include: self-employed certified plumber, building inspector, plumbing tutor, plumbing equipment salesperson, technical advisor and project manager. As a certified gasfitter you can work for yourself or an employer, design gasfitting installations, work as a gas auditor or tutor, or become a technical advisor, project manager or gasfitting equipment salesperson.
There are a number of ways to enter plumbing trades. You can enrol in a pre-trade programme which will give you the skills and knowledge to enter the industry as an apprentice. Alternatively you can enter as a trainee plumber you’ll undertake study at Ara, and onsite with an employer. You’ll learn about various water supplies (such as wells, springs, rain water and river water); distribution of water (through private, communal and city-owned water supply systems); and the uses of water (such as hot and cold water systems, fire systems and cooling water). You’ll also learn about the disposal and treatment of water once it’s been used, and how to ensure buildings are weather-tight.
There are a number of ways to enter gasfitting trades. You can enrol in a pre-trade programme which will give you the skills and knowledge to enter the industry as an apprentice. Alternatively you can enter as a trainee gasfitter you’ll combine study at Ara with hands-on learning alongside an employer. You’ll learn about types of gases, their composition and heating values; gas pipe sizing; the need for ventilation when installing gas appliances; fluing of gas appliances and the importance of testing gasfitting installations.
Many Ara trades programmes require you to be working in industry as an apprentice.