Plumbers in Florida – as anywhere else – are responsible for installing, upgrading, fixing, and maintaining crucial water systems without which our lives would be less convenient than it is.
Along with understanding how to fabricate and install these systems, plumbers must also be familiar with safety measures to keep us safe. For all of these reasons, plumbers in Florida are expected to undergo significant training before they can start working in the state.
They are also required to fulfill a handful of other requirements, which we take an in-depth look at in the following sections.
For aspiring plumbers in the state, we also examine a few notable training programs to consider for the best education.
How to Become a Plumber in Florida
In Florida, aspiring plumbers must receive a proper education before working. They usually have to go through an apprenticeship or a college/vocational school to obtain this education.
Before all of these, however, they must meet some basic requirements, including having a GED or high school diploma and a strong foundation in subjects like Science, Technology, Mathematics, and Computers.
Training Programs
Plumbers in Florida may choose to obtain their training from formal training programs. These programs are offered by vocational schools and colleges all across the state.
Among other things, students enjoy training under experienced instructors who are sound in both theoretical principles and practical applications.
Enrolling in accredited institutions with high-quality programs and a reputation for producing successful candidates is essential. Later in the upcoming sections, we will look at some of these programs.
Apprenticeship Programs
Going through an apprenticeship program is another viable route to becoming a plumber in Florida. One of the appeals of apprenticeships is that they focus strictly on hands-on training and acquiring real-world experience even before the plumbers-in-training graduate.
This is not to say that some apprenticeship programs don’t incorporate some classroom training, as they sometimes do.
Plumber’s Assistants
Lastly, aspiring plumbers in Florida May do away with both options above and instead, directly work as assistants to licensed plumbers.
By doing so, they can acquire the knowledge they need to perform their duties while also racking up work experience in the real world.
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Top Plumbing Schools in Florida
The following are some notable plumbing schools in Florida:
1. Fort Myers Technical College
Fort Myers Technical College has numerous excellent technical and skilled trade programs that have produced several successful professionals. The school’s plumbing training program is one of the most extensive in the state, combining several hands-on training workshop sessions with classroom training overseen by experienced professionals.
2. Florida State College
Situated in Jacksonville, Florida, State College boasts a 12-month high-quality plumbing training program, including 145 hours of extensive instructions.
The program costs about $2000, with tuition and instructional materials included. Accepted candidates will no doubt enjoy learning in excellent facilities under the supervision of experienced instructors.
Notable Mentions
Other notable training programs for plumbers in Florida include:
- Hillsborough Community College in Tampa,
- Manatee Technical College in Bradenton,
- Indian River State College in Fort Pierce,
- Daytona State College in Daytona Beach,
- The College of the Florida Keys in Key West,
- Palm Beach State College in Lake Worth,
- Pensacola State College in Pensacola, and
- Sheridan Technical College in Hollywood, Florida.
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Licensure and Certification Requirements
The state of Florida expects all plumbing contractors to be licensed before they can start taking on contracts. It is also possible to legally perform plumbing work in the state by being an apprentice working under a licensed contractor.
Generally, the state has two types of plumbing licenses — the Certified Plumbing Contractor license and the Registered Plumbing Contractor license.
While the State Certified Plumbing Contractor license allows plumbers to work anywhere in the state, the State Registered license only will enable them to work in specific localities.
The State Certified license requires candidates to pass the state licensing exam, while the Registered license requires only a local competency exam.
Salary and Job Outlook
The annual average salary for plumbers in Florida is $51,770. Those in the top 10% of earners take home an average yearly salary of $80,446, while those in the bottom 10% take home an average annual wage of $33,316.
Sorting by years of experience, plumbers in Florida with less than a year of experience earn $43,371 per year on average, while those with more than ten years on the job earn around $62,921 per year on average.
Sorting by location, the following are the top-paying cities for plumbers in Florida by annual average salary: Apopka ($53,704), Lake Worth ($58,243), Naples ($55,696), Miami ($54,295), Clearwater ($52,071) and Jacksonville ($50,751).
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