To say that plumbers are in short supply would be an understatement! The National Association of Home Builders reports there is a 55% shortage of plumbers available for work. Today only 5.3% of Plumbers are Female and the number has only increased by 1.2% since 2010. At the same time, plumbing job growth is projected to climb by 14% over the next decade.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are over 261,194 plumbers currently employed in the United States and women earned 102% of what men earned. An increasing number of scholarships and financial aid opportunities specific to women are being offered by organizations that realize that something must be done to help fill the growing demand for skilled plumbers.
Buddy Holly’s Peggy Sue Was First
When Buddy Holly was pondering a musical name that would embody the wholesomeness of the all-American girl in 1957, Peggy Sue Gerron was dating Buddy Holly’s drummer and she became his muse for the hit, Peggy Sue. Later Gerron moved to California and became the first licensed Plumber in the State of California.
Mentoring Programs & Resources
Tools and Tiaras – Created in 2017 by Judaline Cassidy, a plumber out of UA Local 1 in New York, Tools for Tiaras was founded to motivate and inspire girls in inner-city communities to become tradesworkers.
Tradeswomen Organizations – Many non-profits exist throughout North America that are focused on females in the trades. They include Chicago Women in Trades, Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW), Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc., Women in HVACR, Women in Nontraditional Employment Roles, and Tradeswomen, Inc.
The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association – The Association is one of the most prominent industry groups in the country and its careers page provides a great resource for those thinking of pursuing a plumbing career. You can learn about scholarships available to trades students and even connect with local PHCC Chapters to learn about apprenticeship opportunities in your area.
Trade Schools – toptrade.school provides an online guide to identify available trade schools and learn more about trade programs. The top California Schools for Plumbing are:
- Bakersfield College, Bakersfield CA
- City College of San Francisco, San Francisco CA
- Foothill College, Los Altos Hills CA
- Los Angeles Trade Technical College, Los Angeles CA
- PHCC Vocational School, Anaheim CA
- San Diego City College, San Diego CA
Grants & Scholarships – A fractional listing of Plumbing Grants & Scholarships can be found at https://www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarship-directory/acad emic-major/plumbing.
Apprenticeship Programs in California
A list of available plumbing apprenticeship programs throughout California can be located online at http://www.calapprenticeship.org/programs/plumber_apprenticeship.php.
For additional information on careers for females in plumbing or addressing all the plumbing issues, you may encounter visit https://socalplumbers.com/. If you have found this article interesting and you want to continue to receive information from the SoCal Plumbers, please go to https://socalplumbers.com/email-signup/.