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Plumber apprenticeships in Washington
Washington has 7 registered plumber apprenticeship programs: 1 union and 6 open shop.1 Apprentices are hired and paid while they learn. The hours count toward the journey-level certificate (8,000 hours).2
Find a program near you
Enter your ZIP to sort by distance.
7 programs
Barron Heating AC Electrical & Plumbing
Ferndale · Whatcom County
Construction Industry Training Council of Washington - Plumber
Bellevue · King County
Eastern Wa-Ne Oregon Pipe Trades JATC
Pasco · Franklin County
Eastern Washington - Northeast Oregon Pipe Trades Apprenticeship Committee
Pasco · Franklin County
Greater Western Washington Pipe Trades Apprenticeship Committee
Burlington · Skagit County
Inland Empire Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry Apprenticeship Training Committee
Spokane · Spokane County
Seattle Area Plumbers Housing Plumbers Pipefitters HVAC-Service Controls Technician/Refrigeration Mechanics and Marine Pipefitters Apprenticeship Committee
Renton · King County
No programs match. Clear the county or type filter, or try a nearby ZIP.
Union locals and training centers in Washington
Call the local or its training center for the next application date.
UA union locals
- UA Local 26Burlington(360) 486-9340
- UA Local 32Renton(425) 277-6680
- UA Local 44Spokane(509) 624-5101
- UA Local 598Pasco(509) 545-1446
- UA Local 699Tukwila(206) 441-0737
Training
UA apprenticeships run through a joint committee of the local and union contractors. Call the local for the next application date.
PHCC chapters
- PHCC of WashingtonPO Box 58007, Renton(206) 348-0483
Union or open shop?
Union
Run by a joint committee run by the United Association (UA) local and union contractors. You apply to the committee, take an aptitude test and an interview, and wait on a ranked list. The committee sends you to its contractors.
Pay is a set share of the union journey-level rate and steps up on a schedule. Classes are nights or week-long blocks, usually paid for by the program.
Open shop
Run by PHCC, ABC or a single plumbing contractor. You usually get hired by a member contractor first, and the contractor enrolls you.
Your employer sets the pay and the raises. Classes are nights or weekends, and some programs charge tuition.
What do programs ask for?
Age
Usually 18. Some programs take applications at 17.
High school diploma or GED
Most programs ask for one. Bring a transcript.
Aptitude test or interview
Union programs give an aptitude test (math and reading) and an interview, then rank applicants. Open-shop programs usually start with a job offer.
Driver's license and drug screen
Many programs ask for both, since apprentices drive between job sites.
Applying this month
Get your papers together1 week
High school transcript or GED, a photo ID, and your birth certificate or proof of age. Programs that ask for algebra want the transcript that shows it.
- Time
- 1 week
Practice for the aptitude test2 to 4 weeks
Union programs test algebra and reading. A few evenings with a practice test helps your ranking.
- Time
- 2 to 4 weeks
Pick three programs and check their dates1 evening
Union programs take applications in set windows, some once a year. Open-shop programs and employer programs often take them year-round.
- Time
- 1 evening
Apply, then keep working
Apply to all three. While you wait, a helper or trainee job with a licensed contractor gives you hours and a reference.
Can't get in yet?
Pre-apprenticeship
Short programs, often free, that teach the basics and help with the application. Ask the programs above which ones they take graduates from.
Start on a crew
Licensed contractors hire helpers with no experience. Keep a log of your hours and employers; many programs and license boards count them. If you'd rather learn the basics first, 3 schools in Washington have plumber programs.
The license steps in WashingtonHow do you get into a plumber apprenticeship in Washington?
Pick programs near you, check each one's website for its application dates, and apply to more than one. Union programs test and interview, then rank applicants; open-shop programs usually start once a member contractor hires you.
How long is a plumber apprenticeship in Washington?
About 4 years. The journey-level certificate requires 8,000 hours of supervised work.
How much do plumber apprentices make in Washington?
Programs set their own scales, usually a share of journey-level pay that rises every year. For a floor, the lowest-paid tenth of all plumbers in Washington earned $23.79 an hour or less in May 2025.
Plumber pay in WashingtonOther routes in Washington
Sources
- U.S. Department of Labor, apprenticeship.gov registered apprenticeship partners (apprenticeship.gov)
- Washington plumber license requirements (lni.wa.gov, 2026-10-27)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Washington, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)