How to become a Mechanical Services Plumber
Installs, maintains and repairs piping (excluding drinking water and refrigerant pipework, flow controls and components), ducting and equipment for heating, cooling and ventilation of buildings or vessels.
Main tasks
- Assembles and installs mechanical services plant, air handling and conditioning equipment, and small-bore heating systems
- Maintains and repairs piping (excluding drinking water and refrigerant pipework, flow controls and components), ducting, and equipment for heating, cooling and ventilation systems
- Installs, maintains and tests medical gas systems
- Fabricates and installs sheet metal ductwork around installed systems
- Insulates piping used for hot water or steam pipes
- Installs and commissions single head split systems, ceiling cassette systems and add-on condenser units for ducted systems
Ways in
- TAFE and VET: Certificate II in Drainage (CPC20720); Certificate III in Gas Fitting (CPC32720); Certificate III in Plumbing (CPC32420); Certificate III in Roof Plumbing (CPC32620); Certificate IV in Plumbing and Services (CPC40920)
- Licence or registration: Registration or licensing is required.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Typical full-time pay: $103,480 a year
- About 103,600 people work in this job group now, and about 114,200 are projected by 2035. (+10.2%)
- AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Mechanical Services Plumber?
Ways in include: Certificate II in Drainage; Certificate III in Gas Fitting.
How much does a Mechanical Services Plumber earn in Australia?
Median full-time pay is $103,480 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Is a Mechanical Services Plumber a growing career in Australia?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 10% by 2035, from about 103,600 to about 114,200 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Do you need a degree to become a Mechanical Services Plumber?
Usually not. Only 1% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate II in Drainage; Certificate III in Gas Fitting.
Will AI change the work of a Mechanical Services Plumber?
AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
Sources
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04
Updated 2026-10-04