World Plumbing Day: College Plumbing Program Highlights

Plumbing program student wearing protective face shield works with pipe.

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

SLCC offers the Plumber Independent and Plumber/Pipefitter JATC 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 four years. As a student in the program, they will:

Work as an apprentice.
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 Plumber 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 Program

The Plumber/Pipefitter JATC program prepares students to apply for professional licensure through the DOPL. Completing the program takes up to five years. Students must be a member of the Union to enroll in the program.

A red wrench sits on a table. In the background, a student works with a pipe.

Estimated program fees are $10 per semester, and the cost of tuition ranges from $662.50-$953.50 per semester, depending on the number of credits.

JATC’s curriculum provides students with the necessary information to execute various installation practices, repair, service work and test preparation, which they will apply while working on-site. Graduates of the program have the option of transferring to Utah Valley University’s Technology Management program to complete a bachelor’s degree.

How To Apply

School of Applied Technology and Technical Specialties (SATTS) staff and faculty are dedicated to supporting students’ academic goals. For information about SLCC’s plumbing programs, please contact SATTS at (SATTS@slcc.edu or 801-957-4066).

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