By Dave Dunbar
“The society that scorns excellence in plumbing because plumbing is a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy. Neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water.” John Gardner
As a previous National Sales Manager, I had to do a lot of traveling for my job. Several times a month, I would arrange to work with one of our independent sales rep agencies in the U.S. and Canada, and we would spend time with plumbing wholesalers, plumbers, and drain cleaner companies. One of the most common complaints that I heard from plumbers while on the road is that young people are not coming into the trades. The average age of a plumber in North America has migrated north of 55 years old and is still rising. I heard a lot of theories as to why young people were forsaking the trades, but no one has a rock-solid answer.
In my humble opinion, the main issue is a perceptual problem that permeates society as a whole. It seems to me that most of the people that the younger generation wants to emulate are doing something high-profile and glamorous. Social media influencers, entertainers, high-tech entrepreneurs, and sports figures. Look at the glamourous lifestyles of the billionaires that clog today’s social media landscape and ask, how did they make their money? Here’s a hint: it wasn’t plumbing. What about the thousands of influencers who are setting the fashion and lifestyle standards for their generation? Are there any plumbers in that group? Hardly. So, what is an ambitious young person to think? Where should they cast their aspirations when planning for their future? How should they play the cards that they were dealt, and what tool or cable should they grasp to climb their career ladder??
The problem is that human beings are notoriously bad at making those kinds of decisions. Many of us fear air travel, even though it is the safest form of transportation ever devised, and yet feel comfortable zooming down the road in our car while steering with our knees. Oh, and while we’re talking about cars…we tend to think nothing of texting and driving while not wearing a seatbelt. We’re only going down the street, and we know this road like the back of our hand. We waste more money than we can afford on lotteries, even though the chances of winning are minuscule. We keep putting off that healthy diet because we’re busy, and the fast-food restaurant is right next door to the office.
Because of what social scientists call ‘optimism bias,’ we tend to overestimate our ability to beat the odds and succeed in a high-risk profession instead of optimizing our chances for a lucrative job. Overall, people make bad decisions when they let their emotions set the course, and yet this is how most career choices are made. Check out any news source to find out how many college graduates, saddled with a six-figure student loan debt, are flipping burgers or working as baristas. Most of them are light years away from living the glamorous lifestyle that they imagined when they entered college and picked their majors, with such financial blockages stifling their career progress.
The irony is that young people have more options than ever before. A few weeks ago, I spent the evening at a plumbing trade school and saw scores of apprentices enrolled in a four-year program to earn their plumber’s license. According to all the master plumbers who serve as teachers for this program, any of these students should be able to make over $100,000 a year after earning a license. Moreover, with the increasing demand for skilled professionals and the constant advancements in drain cleaning equipment, the earning potential in the plumbing trades is higher than ever before. While the national average for plumbers is closer to half that amount, the fact is that the trades offer a higher-than-expected return on investment and can be a very vital, creative, and satisfying career.
Modern life as we know it cannot exist without fresh running water and flushing toilets; and both require plumbers. To maintain efficient water systems, plumbers depend on a range of essential plumbing tools that are crucial for installation, repair, and upkeep. If a young person is interested in making a positive impact on society, consider the fact that plumbers have saved more lives than penicillin. As Benjamin Franklin said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Keeping fresh water and sewer sludge separate, which is the plumber’s main job, is by far the most important preventative measure that we take in pursuit of public health. Most of the diseases that ravage underdeveloped countries, such as cholera and dysentery, are waterborne, and the modern water supply and sewer treatment system, built and maintained by plumbers, saves us from the same illnesses. A plumber’s meticulous work in efficiently clearing debris from water lines is essential for preventing these diseases.
Plumbing has a long and venerable tradition of protecting society’s health. When human beings first decided to live together in urban settings, one of the first skills that arose was plumbing, as evidenced by the water systems and flushing toilets of the Indus Valley, Sumerian, Egyptian, and Roman civilizations. Again, modern society can’t exist without running water and waste removal, just as it can’t function properly with a clogged drain impeding these essential services.
Plus, in today’s world, an ambitious and hard-working individual can move from a plumbing apprentice to a well-compensated employee to a business owner in far less time than in other professions. Having access to the latest drain cleaning equipment and techniques can further accelerate this career progression, enabling professionals to take on more complex jobs and build a strong reputation in the industry. If your desire is to own your own business, the trades, in general, and plumbing, in particular, are an excellent choice.
So, here’s a tongue-in-cheek suggestion that might bear fruit: until we can change society’s perceptual problem, perhaps trade schools should advertise and hold career seminars in local colleges. They might find an audience receptive to their message, and it might be a good way to get the word out that the trades are a satisfying and lucrative way to earn a living.
As the plumbing industry continues to evolve, so does the drain cleaning equipment that professionals rely on. Innovations in design, materials, and technology have led to the development of more efficient, durable, and user-friendly tools. Companies like General Pipe Cleaners have been at the forefront of these advancements, consistently introducing cutting-edge drain cleaning equipment that sets new standards in the industry.
From the patented Flexicore cable, which offers unparalleled strength and flexibility, to the powerful water jetting machines that can tackle even the toughest clogs, modern drain cleaning equipment has revolutionized the way plumbers and drain cleaning professionals work. These plumbing tools not only make the job easier but also ensure better results, saving time and money for both the professional and the customer.
Investing in quality drain cleaning equipment is crucial for anyone looking to succeed in the plumbing trades. With the right tools in hand, professionals can take on any challenge with confidence, knowing they have the best equipment available to get the job done right the first time.
If you happen to be someone looking to enter the trades through the route of becoming a professional drain cleaner, keep in mind that many states don’t require a plumbing license for this job. General Pipe Cleaners has scores of instructional videos on their website (drainbrain.com) and on their Drain Brain YouTube channel (Drainbrain12) that can give you all the information that you need to get started, although General strongly recommends that you continue your education and get a plumbing license in order to get the most out of the opportunities that will come your way. These resources cover a wide range of topics, from the basics of drain cleaning to advanced techniques using state-of-the-art drain cleaning tools, providing aspiring professionals with the knowledge they need to succeed in the field.
For any questions, please contact the Drain Brains at 800.245.6200.
