With PHCC Academy of San Diego, you work for a licensed plumbing contractor and earn a paycheck from your first day, while taking the classroom training that leads to journeyman status.
The next apprenticeship start date hasn't been published yet. Join the waitlist and you'll be one of the first to know when enrollment opens.
As an apprentice, you work for a licensed contractor and get paid the whole time. There are no student loans and no unpaid years in a classroom. You build your income and your skills together, through a state-approved program run by PHCC Academy.
A plumbing apprenticeship is an earn-while-you-learn program. You have a real job with a licensed plumbing contractor, plus scheduled classroom hours. In California, apprenticeship programs are overseen by the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS).
You'll complete the required classroom instruction along with thousands of hours of on-the-job training. When you finish, you're on the path to journeyman status.
From your first day to journeyman status.
Full-time work for a licensed contractor, plus required classroom training each year.
You earn wages from day one, with raises every 6 to 12 months. When you finish, you'll have the credentials and verified field hours employers look for.
PHCC Academy also offers shorter courses and certification prep for working tradespeople. See our Academy courses.
Routing, sizing, and installing supply pipe, including copper and PEX.
Drain sizing, venting, trap installation, and preventing backups.
Installing and pressure-testing gas lines to code.
Installing, testing, and maintaining toilets, sinks, showers, water heaters, and more in homes and commercial buildings.
California follows the Uniform Plumbing Code, published by IAPMO. You'll learn current code requirements.
Installing and testing devices that keep contaminated water from flowing back into the supply.
Of journeyman wages, with raises every 6 to 12 months. By your final year, pay is close to full journeyman rates.
Typical yearly pay for journeyman plumbers in San Diego.
Possible for licensed contractors running their own business and crew.
Steady demand: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects plumbing jobs to grow 4% from 2024 to 2034, with about 44,000 openings a year nationwide. San Diego's construction market keeps local demand even stronger.
Once you reach journeyman status, you have options:
No prior experience is required. Some programs give credit for pre-apprentice coursework or related experience. To apply, you need to:
Brand new to plumbing? Our plumbing pre-apprenticeship is a great first step. Not sure if you qualify? Contact us.
For most people, an apprenticeship is the better financial path.
This is a San Diego program, not a national franchise. PHCC San Diego has served licensed plumbing and HVAC contractors for over 100 years.
Registered with DAS. Your training counts toward journeyman certification anywhere in California.
Our member contractors are established firms that are hiring.
Training reflects San Diego's mix of residential, commercial, and municipal work.
Options for beginners and for people already in the field.
They know San Diego codes and the local job market.
Plumbing demand stays steady in any economy, you're paid from your first week, and a journeyman with a C-36 license running a crew can earn over $100,000.
A plumbing apprenticeship in San Diego takes about four years from start to journeyman status. You work full-time for a licensed contractor and complete required classroom training each year.
Residential plumbing is work in homes, like installing and repairing water heaters, toilets, sinks, and showers. Commercial plumbing covers larger buildings such as offices, stores, and new construction projects, which often have bigger systems and stricter code requirements. Our apprenticeship trains you for both, reflecting San Diego's mix of residential, commercial, and municipal work. After you finish, you can choose to specialize in either.
Yes. Apprentices are paid from day one, typically starting at 40% to 50% of journeyman wages, with raises every 6 to 12 months. By the final year, pay is close to full journeyman rates.
No. You need to be 18 or older, have a high school diploma or GED, and pass a basic background check. Some programs give credit for pre-apprentice coursework or related experience.
Instead of paying tuition up front like trade school, apprentices earn wages while they train, with no tuition loans.
The next start date hasn't been published yet. Email juri@phccsd.org to join the waitlist and you'll be one of the first to know when enrollment opens.
Yes. After four years of journeyman-level experience, you can apply for a California C-36 Plumbing Contractor License through the Contractors State License Board. It lets you bid on residential, commercial, and industrial plumbing projects over $500.
Yes. The program is registered with the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards, so your training counts toward journeyman certification statewide.
The next apprenticeship start date hasn't been published yet. Join the waitlist and we'll let you know as soon as enrollment opens.
Join the WaitlistQuestions? Contact us, email academy@phccsd.org, or call (858) 693-3855.
