Plumbing Industry Historical Background

Nationally, the Plumbing Industry is a very large employer of a wide range of occupations in various fields including manufacturing and merchandising.

In Victoria, for example, Plumbing Apprenticeship (Vocational Trade Training) commenced in 1888.

The industry which has been technically driven by public health and environmental requirements arising from the water industry and the need for proper sanitation comprises trade areas including water, sanitary, gas, mechanical services, heating and cooling, industrial wastes, metal roofing, drainage, building services and other specialized areas such as fire services, air-conditioning, lead burning, medical, marine, and solar. Find out more...

The Plumbing Industry has a long history as a well organized industry carrying on the business of plumbing as we know it in Australia. The industry is an extension of Western European water supply and sanitary systems that are part of our culture.

The introduction of plumbing traders to Australia was originally by plumbers trained in the United Kingdom. The many occupations within the industry depended upon the plumbing trades taught within the apprenticeship system which transfers the various technical skills and knowledge through both formal education and on-the-job training in what are essentially major plumbing trades.

The industry as a whole encourages the development of self-employed businessmen and women who trade in many aspects of plumbing products and services.

Originally many plumbers manufactured products such as baths, water heaters, showers and water tanks. Today many plumbing industry traders are importers and exporters with some still involved in manufacture at the small business level, for example with water tanks.

"However, the modern plumber has to be in tune with the many water supply and sanitary products and fixtures which form part of a major plumbing industry focused on a society accustomed to modern Western style plumbing appliances".

Whilst plumbing trades are recognized for the sophistication of their technical training and unique responsibility for the systems of public and environmental health including water sustainability and greenhouse that are a world wide concern, they are also very aware of that obligation and as a whole, work for the improvement generally of the standards of the plumbing trades and the systems and materials used.

Of its industry sectors by far the largest, is the service sector. This is concerned with the installation, maintenance and replacement of facilities in institutions such as hospitals, laboratories, hotels and schools. The service sector also includes many industrial and manufacturing installations as well as commerce in shops and offices and of course a very large market of domestic plumbing consumers.

A special feature of the plumbing workforce is the manner in which the industry regulates and supervises its training, examinations and registration of plumbers to carry out a wide range of functions in identifiable trades sectors of the industry.

There are approximately 80,000 registered or licensed persons in Australia of which the majority has principle registration for Water, Drainage, Sanitary and Gasfitting.

Employment in the Industry is generally through Apprenticeship.