Apprenticeship Program Seeks Female Applicants 
 

Apprenticeship Program Seeks Female Applicants

Apprenticeship training programs for plumbers, steamfitters, and marine fitters operate at the spacious Tigard training facility affiliated with Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 290.  Plumbers do a lot more than the residential construction and remodeling that may be most familiar to people.  The training center offers a wide range of classes on topics like HVAC/refrigeration, electrical, computers and welding.  Interaction with may different trades is a feature of plumbers and fitters and this is demonstrated by the variety of offerings at the center.  It is great to have the Plumbers and Steamfitters Apprenticeship Training Center on board as one of OT's WANTO (Women in Apprenticeship and Non-Traditional Occupations U.S. Department of Labor grant) partners. 

Plumbers and fitters play an increasingly important role in high-tech industries that require carefully calibrated equipment that absolutely won't leak.  The Training Center will soon be able to provide training in the dust and dirt-free environment in high-tech facilities when they instal a model "clean room".  Training is a major priority in this field and the Training Center offers extensive continuing education opportunities for journey level workers. 
 

Plumber Karla Lillie installs the piping for a kitchen sink.

The apprenticeship for plumbers and steamfitters lasts 5 years (10 terms) while the marine fitters program is a 4 year (8 term) program.  These are challenging, but well paid trades, paying about $28 per hour after 5 years, and starting at about $9.70 per hour.  Experience as a mechanical laborer is highly recommended for applicants to these apprenticeship programs. 

There are successful women plumbers and steamfitters, both apprentices and journey level workers.  Eleven out of 221 steamfitter apprentices are women.  Three out of 229 plumbing apprentices are female.  One feature that makes these apprenticeship programs more "user friendly" is that they offer textbooks at 1/2 price and the $100 per term fee is paid back after successfully completing all 10 terms. 

The plumbing and steamfitting apprenticeships were open for applications in June, 2000.  Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. offered coaching session to help female applicants prepare for the interview. For more information on the apprenticeship, contact the Training Center at (503) 691-1997.