Introduction

The JobStart/Future Skills Sector Partnerships Program of Saskatchewan Learning enabled a sector study of the plumbing and pipefitting industry in Saskatchewan. This industry profile is based on that study, published in October, 2000.

The plumbing and pipefitting industry established a partnership of industry members and key stakeholders through funding and support from the Sector Partnerships Program. These partners worked together to carry out a study that identified current and future hiring needs and training requirements.

Strategic planning enables industry and training providers to work together to provide training opportunities that match the skills the industry requires.

For more information about the Sector Partnership Report and this industry visit the Executive Summary. You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this PDF file.

Saskatchewan Overview

• Saskatchewan's mechanical contracting industry consists of about 700 organizations. About one-third are part-time or self-employed tradespeople and business people.
  
• Within the Saskatchewan construction and contracting industry, 457 active contractors serve residential, commercial, industrial and institutional markets.
  
• The total number of workers employed by this core of 457 active contractor companies is estimated at 3,843.
  
• Saskatchewan’s industry includes union and non-union, rural and urban and large and small business environments.
  
• Eighty-seven percent of companies are small businesses employing from one to nine workers.
  
• The range of services includes plumbing and heating, gas, electrical, refrigeration, instrumentation, sheet metal and welding services.
  
• Of companies surveyed for the 2000 study, just over half worked in new construction and one-third described their primary business as service and repair. Eleven percent indicated that their focus was maintenance.
  
• Half of those surveyed served residential markets and 35% served commercial markets.
  
• Plumbing and pipefitting employment
  There were 1,765 workers in the Saskatchewan plumbing and pipefitting workforce according to the 1996 Census.
  
• At 1,080 people, plumbers made up about 61% of the workforce.
  
• The Saskatchewan Provincial Pipe Trades Association estimates that there were about 300 workers imported by out-of-province employers in 1999/2000. They worked on a variety of industrial projects.
  
• The bulk of employment in this industry (72%) is in construction. The remainder of workers are employed in manufacturing (9%), mining, government, and services.
  
• There are shortages of skilled and qualified workers in the plumbing and pipefitting industry.

Kinds of employers

Employers include:

• Construction companies
• Manufacturers
• Communication and utility companies
• Government
• Mining companies
• Educational institutions
• Other services
  Other services include transportation and storage, real estate and insurance, health and social services, business services, and accommodation, food and beverage services.

Who works in the industry?

• Piping workers are typically older than the workforce in general. The 1996 Census showed that 58% of plumbing and pipefitting workers were between the ages of 25 and 44. Thirty percent were 45 and over. Only 11.9% were between 15 and 24 years of age.
  
• According to the 2000 survey, 75% of companies in the plumbing industry and 80% of companies in the pipefitting industry had no Aboriginal workers. Sixteen percent of plumbing companies indicated that they employed one or two Aboriginal workers. Eight percent of pipefitting companies indicated that they employed three or four Aboriginal workers.
  
• Within both plumbing and pipefitting industries, over 90% of companies employed no female plumbers or pipefitters.
  Within both plumbing and pipefitting industries, 94% of companies employed no plumbers or pipefitters with disabilities.
  

Saskatchewan Trends

• Increasing technology and computerization include high tech furnaces, electronics, new material and products. This is leading to a need for more training.
  
• From 1994/1995 to 1998/1999, there was an increase of 56% in the total number of apprentices in the plumbing and pipefitting industry. There was an increase of 73% in the number of apprentices in the plumbing trade.
  
• The participants in the 2000 survey indicated that they expected employment levels to increase in all plumbing and pipefitting occupations by an average of 44% from 2000 to 2003.
  
• The expected employment increase for journeyman plumbers was 36.5%. The increase for apprentice plumbers was 31%.
  
• Employment levels for pipefitters were expected to increase by 64% for journeymen and 96.7% for apprentices.
  Industry specialists have said that these figures may be too optimistic.

Related Jobs

Typical jobs within the plumbing, pipefitting and gas fitting occupation are:

You’ll find a relevant occupational description in Saskatchewan Job Futures with more information about the occupation, including education and training requirements, work duties, wage information and employment trends.

National Occupational Classification (NOC) numbers follow the job title. You can use the NOC numbers to look up the occupations in the NOC.

Where the Jobs Are

The 1996 Census indicated that 24% of Saskatchewan plumbing and pipefitting workers work in Saskatoon. Eighteen percent work in Regina and 58% work in the rest of the province.

Earnings

• The Saskatchewan Job Futures description indicates the average full-time income for plumbers, pipefitters and gas fitters was $34,441 in 1995.
  
• The average annual income for plumbers in the 1996 Census year was $29,741.
  
• The average annual income for steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers in the 1996 Census year was $42,811.
  
• Companies surveyed in 2000 indicated that the average wage for their journeymen plumbers was $19.63/hr. The starting wage for first year apprentices was $9.29/hr.
  
• Journeymen pipefitters were paid $21.20/hr. First year apprentices started at $9.89/hr.

Skills and Training

• Saskatchewan offers provincial apprenticeship programs for the occupations of plumber, steamfitter-pipefitter and sprinkler systems installer. To register as an apprentice, you must be working in the trade under the supervision of a certified tradesperson.
  
• The Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) offers various pre-employment training programs for these occupations.
  
• Gas fitter is not a designated trade in Saskatchewan. However, plumbers may be licensed as gas fitters in the province. Gas fitter apprenticeships are available out-of-province
  
• Want to find out what kind of related education and training programs are offered in Saskatchewan? Check into What to Study? to find out what’s available and where.
  
• Skills and knowledge that workers in the industry may need include:

The Future

Increasing technology and computerization will lead to a need for more training. High tech furnaces, electronics, new material and products are impacting the industry.

Related Information

Visit the following Web sites for more information on the plumbing and pipefitting industry:

Mechanical Contractors Association of Saskatchewan
Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada

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