Two dozen high school students hope to be flush with knowledge of the plumbing industry courtesy of the experts from UA Local 7, Plumbers and Steamfitters union.
Building Trades students on the Capital Region BOCES Career & Technical Education Center – Schoharie Campus learned during the week of Oct. 28 the basics of plumbing, including PVC draining/vent fittings, basic plumbing code, plumbing math, jobsite safety and how to install a sink.
“I hope to teach the students that working with your hands, getting them dirty isn’t something to be embarrassed about. There are great jobs in the trades, and I think, of course, that plumbing is the best job,” said Seth Madden.
“Everyone needs to go to the bathroom,” he added.
Fellow union member Scott Nadeau concurred.
“Plumbing is a career that can’t be replaced by AI,” he said. “Getting into the union sets you up with a good pay scale and great benefits.”
During one part of the lesson, students leveled and connected PVC pipes within a frame of a wall that then led to a sink they installed.
Students said they appreciate the ability to learn a new skill set and value the opportunities it affords them.
“It’s a nice lesson and gives us a great, hand-on experience and a new skill set that we can use,” said Dalton Porter, a Middleburgh senior.
Classmate Jack McManus agreed.
“It’s good to learn a new skill that I can use at home or in business,” the Guilderland teenager said.
BOCES will launch its own full-time Plumbing Technology program for high school students starting in the fall of 2025.
The one-year program will be a comprehensive, hands-on program designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in the plumbing industry.
Students will learn essential skills, including safety protocols, plumbing math and blueprint reading, while working with various piping materials such as plastic and copper.
The course covers key plumbing systems such as drain, waste, and vent (DWV) systems, water distribution, and much more.