How to become a plumber in Australia
Plumbers install, maintain and repair pipes, drains, guttering and metal roofing, mechanical services and related equipment for water supply, gas, drainage, sewerage, heating, cooling and ventilation systems.
The all-jobs median is $1,852 a week. Jobs in the plumbers group are projected to grow 10.2% between May 2025 and May 2035, slower than the 13.3% projected for all jobs. Projections are indicative, not forecasts, and JSA says they don't yet reflect generative AI.
What the job involves
- Studying blueprints, drawings and specifications to determine the layout of plumbing systems and materials required
- Setting out and installing hot and cold water systems and associated equipment
- Installing water-based fire protections systems, including fire hydrants, hose reels and sprinkler systems
- Designing and installing sanitary plumbing and water supply systems, discharge pipes and sanitary fixtures
- Fabricating and installing soil and waste stacks
- Assembling and installing mechanical services plant, air handling and conditioning equipment and small bore heating systems
How to get there
What it usually takes. A Certificate III or IV, including at least two years of on-the-job training where it is a Certificate III. This is the skill level Jobs and Skills Australia gives the plumbers group, and some roles differ.
What people in the job have. Highest qualification held: 1% a degree or higher, 3% a diploma, 73% a Certificate III or IV.
Apprenticeship or traineeship. Plumber (General) is on the Australian Apprenticeships Priority List (1 April 2026), with qualifications including Certificate III in Plumbing, Certificate III in Roof Plumbing, Certificate III in Gas Fitting. Find a provider at Your Career or your state's TAFE.
Many jobs also need registration, a licence or a specific accredited course. Check the professional body or regulator before you choose.
Courses that can lead here
Estimate your ATAR and this page shows the gap to each course. Your marks stay on your device.
We haven't matched this job to courses in the admissions lists. It usually starts with training on the job or at a registered training provider, not a course through an admissions centre. See Your Career.
Does it fit your interests?
Strongest interest areas for this kind of work: Realistic, Conventional, Investigative.
From O*NET ratings for "Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters", the closest US occupation in JSA's correspondence (a good match). US ratings are a guide to Australian jobs, not a measurement of them.
Careers with similar interests
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Share your storyJob data: © Commonwealth of Australia, Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profiles, February 2026 and Employment Projections, May 2025 to May 2035 (Victoria University), CC BY 4.0. Jobs and Skills Australia, ANZSCO 2013 Version 1.2 to O*NET-SOC 2019 Taxonomy correspondence.
Apprenticeships: Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Australian Apprenticeships Priority List, 1 April 2026.
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Curve ATAR has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.