Industry News

Working in the trades business can be challenging. You need to spend time learning and perfecting your skill set, but it is also important that you focus on doing as much as you can to stand out and get ahead of the competition. Starting out as a new plumber can be pretty daunting, and there are a lot of ideas and processes that you should be thinking about moving forward.

Unemployment rates in the trade industry remain low. While that’s good for workers and the economy, it makes finding quality new talent a challenge and means employee retention is more important than ever. An old saying teaches that “Employees don’t leave jobs; they leave employers.” A healthy work environment doesn’t just produce happy employees. It makes happy customers, too!

As people are becoming more environmentally conscious, the plumbing industry is being asked to provide green living products and find ways of minimizing water usage. Customers are also seeking innovative products (such as touchless plumbing fixtures). At the same time, a critical shortage in skilled labor calls for renewed focus on quality control and creativity in the workplace.

With the help of HIRE360, an organization that works to expand professional development and employment opportunities in trade and Related Midwest, a founding partner of HIRE 360, Pride Pipe & Supply was able to partner with Trane, a world leader in air conditioning systems, services and solutions.

The women who do make a living as plumbers are not only making valuable contributions to the field but forging a path for other women looking to enter a rewarding and lucrative career. And with industry forecasts pointing to a 75% retirement rate among current tradespeople in the next ten years, the moment to finally change our conceptions about who plumbers are may be at hand.