Guidance.help

Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

O*NET files this work under Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters: people who help plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, or pipelayers by performing duties requiring less skill. The skills rated most useful are monitoring, judgment and decision making, and critical thinking. The job can ask you to fit or assist in fitting valves, couplings, or assemblies to tanks, pumps, or systems, using hand tools. The strongest interest signal is Realistic (7.0 of 7), then Conventional (3.7) and Social, which gives it the code RCS. Getting in usually takes a few months to a year of learning on the job, a level O*NET calls some preparation. If you want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, keep it on your list. If you need creative work with room for original expression, it may feel thin.

What they do

Help plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, or pipelayers by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.

Main tasks

  • Fit or assist in fitting valves, couplings, or assemblies to tanks, pumps, or systems, using hand tools.
  • Mount brackets and hangers on walls and ceilings to hold pipes, and set sleeves or inserts to provide support for pipes.
  • Perform rough-ins, repair and replace fixtures and water heaters, and locate, repair, or remove leaking or broken pipes.
  • Cut pipe and lift up to fitters.
  • Measure, cut, thread and assemble new pipe, placing the assembled pipe in hangers or other supports.
  • Assist pipe fitters in the layout, assembly, and installation of piping for air, ammonia, gas, and water systems.

Skills

  • Monitoring
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Critical Thinking
  • Active Listening
  • Coordination
  • Repairing

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on monitoring and judgment and decision making.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
  • You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCS takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.

Preparation

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Post-Secondary Certificate. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Pipefitter Helper
  • Plumber Apprentice
  • Plumber Assistant
  • Plumber Helper
  • Plumbing Apprentice

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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.