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Is This Job Right for You? To find out if being a plumber or pipe fitter is right for you, read each of the following questions and answer “Yes” or “No.” Yes No 1. Can you follow instructions carefully? Yes No 2. Are you physically fit? Yes No 3. Can you work as part of a team? Yes No 4. Are you careful in your work? Yes No 5. Do you like working with your hands? Yes No 6. Are you careful and safety conscious? Yes No 7. Do you always make sure a job is done right? Yes No 8. Do you have a good work ethic? Yes No 9. Can people count on you? Yes No 10. Are you good at math and science? If you answered “Yes” to most of these questions, you might want to think about a career as a plumber or pipe fitter. To find out more about these jobs, read on. What’s the Work Like? About half of plumbers and pipe fit- ters are employed by contractors in the construction industry. Others work in industrial settings, in power plants, and for the government. Pipe fitters, for instance, are essential in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, where large amounts of liquids must be pumped from one place to another to synthesize drugs or other products. Plumbers who work in con- struction do far more than just install plumbing. Besides water and waste disposal systems, plumbers are of- ten also in charge of air-conditioning, TALKING money Plumbers and pipe fitters are some of the best paid of the construction trades. The median income for plumbers and pipe fitters is $24.27 per hour, and annual sala- ries can range anywhere between $30,000 and $90,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those working in the natural gas in- dustry tend to make the most, and those work- ing for local governments, the least. As an ap- prentice or trainee plumber or pipe fitter, you’ll start on the lower end of the salary scale.

• Construction & Trades

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