How to become a Plumber's Assistant
Performs routine tasks in fabricating, laying, installing and maintaining pipes, fixtures, water meters and regulators.
Main tasks
- Assists Plumbers in fabricating, laying, installing and maintaining pipes, fixtures, water meters and regulators
- Assists in measuring, cutting and fitting pipes and fixtures, and holds pipes in place while Plumbers weld or solder joints
- Assists in installing and repairing plumbing fixtures such as toilets, sinks and taps
Ways in
- TAFE and VET: Certificate II in Drainage (CPC20720); Certificate III in Gas Fitting (CPC32720); Certificate III in Roof Plumbing (CPC32620); Certificate III in Well Servicing Operations (RII32220); Certificate IV in Plumbing and Services (CPC40920); Certificate III in Plumbing (CPC32420)
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Typical full-time pay: $95,004 a year
- About 73,000 people work in this job group now, and about 77,700 are projected by 2035. (+6.4%)
- 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.
Related jobs
- Pipe Layer
- Drainage, Sewerage and Stormwater Labourer
- Steel Fixer
- Structural Steel Erector
- Scaffolder
- Asbestos Removalist
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Plumber's Assistant?
Ways in include: Certificate II in Drainage; Certificate III in Gas Fitting.
How much does a Plumber's Assistant earn in Australia?
Median full-time pay is $95,004 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Is a Plumber's Assistant a growing career in Australia?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6% by 2035, from about 73,000 to about 77,700 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Do you need a degree to become a Plumber's Assistant?
Usually not. Only 4% 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 Plumber's Assistant?
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
