Foundations of Plumbing

There is a shortage of skilled plumbers. With an aging infrastructure and dwindling trade workforce, the demand for plumbers has never been greater. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that plumbing jobs will increase at a faster than normal rate over the next 10 years. With the right training, you could enter and build a scalable career in this high-demand field.

If you want to work as a plumber, the Foundations of Plumbing course will teach you the fundamental, job-ready skills...

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12 Months / 145 Course Hrs
Open Enrollment
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University of the District of Columbia

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Foundations of Plumbing

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Course code: GES788

What you will learn

  • Basic concepts of plumbing safety and the safety procedures for material and equipment use
  • The function of components required for the construction of standard piping and water supply systems
  • The use and meaning of specialty drawings associated with construction detail
  • The application and installation of standard plumbing fixtures
  • To identify piping materials and fixture types used in plumbing work
  • To perform the essential math functions, calculations, and interpretation of the plumbing codes required to complete standard plumbing services

How you will benefit

  • Communications and active listening skills
  • Skills to be more productive
  • Reasoning skills
  • Wide knowledge of plumbing skills
  • Enrolled students are invited to attend our exclusive annual virtual National Apprenticeship Week events, featuring live webinars, workshops, and employer interactions

How the course is taught

  • Self-paced, online course
  • 12 Months to complete
  • Open enrollment, begin anytime
  • 145 course hours
  1. Plumbing History, Codes, and Principles
  2. Tools of the Plumbing Trade
  3. First Aid and Safety
  4. Basic Math for Plumbing
  5. Water Supply, Water Sources, Waste Disposal, and Sewage Disposal
  6. Mechanical Properties and Protection of Building Materials and Structure
  7. Piping Materials Used in Plumbing Work
  8. Joining Methods for DWV and Pressure Piping
  9. Squares, Square Roots, and Basic Geometry
  10. Plumbing Fixtures
  11. Faucets and Related Devices
  12. Valves
  13. Water Heaters
  14. Building Plans, Drawings, and Scale Rulers
  15. Sketching
  16. Communication and Skills Professionalism
  17. Pipe Joining Techniques
  18. Special Applications of Plastic Pipe and Fittings
  19. Introduction to Welding
  20. Soldering, Brazing, Cutting, and Gas Welding
  21. Piping Materials, Sources, and Distribution for Potable Water
  22. Water Pipe Sizing: Main-and-Branch and Individual Run Systems
  23. Water Heaters and Hot Water Distribution
  24. Cross-Connection Protection and Pipe Identification
  25. Sewers & Sewage Disposal Methods
  26. Drainage Fixture Units
  27. Building Drains
  28. Stacks
  29. Applied Plumbing Mathematics
  30. Applied Geometric Concepts
  31. Properties of Water and Air
  32. Venting Plumbing Drainage Systems
  33. Sump Pumps, Sewage Pumps, and Sewage Ejectors
  34. Plumbing Traps
  35. Fixture Supports
  36. Hoisting and Rigging
  37. Safety Concepts
  38. Rough-In Sheets, Single Line Drawings, and Isometric Drawings
  39. Venting Plumbing Drainage Systems
  40. Winning Customer Service
  41. Customers Revealed
  42. Customer Expectations
  43. Customer Service: Why Do It?
  44. The Decline (and Revival) of Customer Service
  45. Moving Forward with the Four P's
  46. Traits of Outstanding Customer Reps
  47. Measuring Customer Service
  48. Customer Service Communication
  49. Helping Upset Customers

Adam Seek

Adam Seek has more than 25 years of experience in the plumbing industry. He is a licensed plumber, pipefitter, instructor, and maintenance/service technician with an excellent track record of success in safety, quality control, planning, development, and project management. His career in plumbing started at a young age, when he first joined his family's plumbing business. He then went on to a four-year program where he was awarded for his aptitude and academic achievements.

Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites to take this course.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

  • This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

  • PC: Windows 10 or later.
  • Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
  • Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  • Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

  • Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.
  • Access to state-wide plumbing codes is beneficial to building familiarity with the codebook.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

Yes, ed2go courses are completely online. However, keep in mind that not all certifying bodies or industry-specific certifications are recognized internationally. Please review your country's regulations prior to enrolling in courses that prepare for certification.

No.

This course is open enrollment, so you can register and start the course as soon as you are ready. Access to your course can take 24-48 business hours.

This course is self-paced and open enrollment, so you can start when you want and finish at your own pace. When you register, you'll receive twelve (12) months to complete the course.

The time allotted for course completion has been calculated based on the number of course hours. However, if you are unable to complete the course, contact the student advising team to see what options you may have available to work out a suitable completion date. Please note that an extension fee may be charged.

The course instructor will be available by email to answer any questions and provide feedback on your performance. Occasionally, your course may be supported by a team of industry experts. You will also receive support from the student advising team.

Upon successful completion of the course, you will be awarded a Certificate of Completion.

This course will provide you with the skills you need to obtain an entry-level position in most cases. Potential students should always do research on the job market in their area before registering.

This course is non-credit, so it does not qualify for federal aid, FAFSA and Pell Grant. In some states, vocational rehab or workforce development boards will pay for qualified students to take our courses. Additionally, some students may qualify for financial assistance when they enroll, if they meet certain requirements. Financing is available from select schools. Learn more about financial assistance.

If you have questions that are not answered on our website, representatives are available via LIVE chat. You can also call us at 1-877-221-5151 during regular business hours to have your questions promptly answered. If you are visiting us during non-business hours, please send us a question using the "Contact Us" form.

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