this post was submitted on 11 Sep 2026
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How do you do it? I wouldn't mind being a plumber but I have no idea how I'd get started. I don't even know what tools I'd need.
Your local plumbers union can probably help you get an apprenticeship and get going.
Seems I do have a local plumbers' union, and it looks like they are accepting applications. Thanks!
Don't get discouraged if you don't get picked right away. Sometimes they have a year or more backlog on apprenticeships.
If you stick it out, it can be a great career!
Thanks, I don't know if they'll want me, seems like they're mostly looking for new high school grads and I am well-removed from my high school years. But maybe my experience with coding will be an asset, somehow.
You could also look into becoming an electrician. That touches on more high tech stuff than plumbing. And you get to flex your math skills as a master electrician. I think (hope) that there is a fairly rigorous certification for getting into electrical apprenticeship programs in every region. In the city where I grew up, they had to sit for exams in order to get to specific levels.
Edit to add: while both jobs have too much crawling through spiderwebs in crawlspaces for my tastes, electricians encounter orders of magnitude less poop than plumbers.
Every job gets a little more techie every year. I'm sure the master plumbers use some pretty sophisticated software to plan out the plumbing in a house.
Heck, just a simple job needs planning, billing, and more. All of which use computer systems.
Even just knowing logic and high end math is showing that you're not just a knucklehead looking to do the bare minimum.
Every bit of experience you had in a previous role can be used in the current one. Just spend a few minutes thinking of how it would work and use that in any interviews you get.
Just remember, even though most of these folks didn't go to university, doesn't mean they're any dumber than you are. If they're doing high quality work, they're probably just as smart, or smarter.
A lot of community colleges either double as trade schools or have active relationships with local trade schools.
Another option is to talk to your local employment office. They usually have more programs than just unemployment insurance. Depending on your financial circumstances and your location, you might even be able to have the government pay for your training program/certification. At the very least, they'll have useful points of contact and information about training for various jobs.
You need to find someone who is a) cool and not a bad teacher and b) a good plumber and c) willing to take you on to teach you and d) work your butt off till you're useful.
I suppose my question is more how do I do A B and C? is it all just knowing someone?
yup. the trades are some of the most nepotistic fields there are.