Install and maintain the systems that move water where it needs to go.
Plumbers install and repair the systems that move water, gas, and waste through a building. A day might mean roughing in a new house, setting fixtures, or running a diagnostic on a commercial system that is backing up.
It is problem-solving work with real stakes, done indoors and out. Clean water in and waste safely out is not optional, which is why skilled plumbers stay in demand and rarely worry about finding work.
Plumbing runs on a registered apprenticeship, usually four to five years of paid on-the-job training paired with classroom instruction. You earn as you learn, then test for your journeyman and eventually master license, which in Georgia lets you pull permits and run your own business. Georgia offers several ways in, including union and non-union apprenticeships and plumbing programs through the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG).
Georgia range, from entry-level (roughly the lowest 10%) to top earners (the top 10%). Pay climbs with experience, certifications, and overtime, and many move into lead, foreman, or contractor roles.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (2025), via O*NET / My Next Move
From a full apprenticeship to a few weeks online, here's every way into plumbing in Georgia — ordered from the deepest path to the quickest.