Here’s a little plumbing 101: It takes a minimum of 8,000 hours of combined on-the-job training and classroom instruction for an apprentice plumber to test to get a journeyman’s license. That means a person will likely work three-to-four years in the trade before he or she can even test for their license; after that, if the goal is a master plumber license, that requires another four-to-five years.

The extensive process is critical. While plumbing is an often under-appreciated trade, the reality is that licensed plumbers serve communities in essential ways, protecting people’s health by helping ensure the availability of clean water and functional sanitation equipment and gas lines. Modern plumbing has saved more lives than modern medicine.