Plumbing National Championship’s Post

I saw a post on LinkedIn this morning, forgive me as I don't recall who the poster was... but he was making a point regarding how those in the construction industry with decades of experience should be training the next generation as they have such a wealth of knowledge. I totally agree, but wanted to add that this relationship can be reciprocal. The next generation are superstars when it comes to technology and at Pitt Meadows Plumbing we've had instances where the mentoring relationship goes both ways. The example we've talked about a few times was when we had a 25 year + Red Seal leading a first year apprentice and teaching him what it means to be a plumber. We had just introduced job boxes (a computer with access to project drawings on a rolling cart-- will add a photo in comments!) but it had sat unused as the Red Seal just hadn't used computers much during his career. But guess who had used computers pretty much his whole life? Once the Red Seal learned how to navigate with that job box, it was a whole new world. There's just something to be said for a willingness to learn, no matter what stage of life you're at. Even I've learned a few things from those decades younger than me. #Skilledtrades #Construction #NextGeneration

Gravity - A while back my old foreman and I were shoveling plumbing trenches with a new apprentice. Kid was greener than grass (we’ve all been there). As we were scooping and slinging dirt, the apprentice drops his shovel and yells “f*** gravity”. My foreman and I stopped and laughingly yelled “Woa woa woa! Gravity is on our side”! Proper plumbing is very technical, but almost all of the distribution systems currently in place utilize simple leveraging of gravity. That’s how it’s been since the very inception of plumbing. With insanely rapid advances in technology and how we operate, it is worth wondering if that is how it will always be.

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Firestop and Insulation! That’s apprentice work! I have heard that line or some variation of it probably 100 times in the last 20 plus years. I have even had apprentices told this by other carpenters, teachers and mentors. Many of them are encouraged to take the first opportunity they get to “learn something useful” Yet if I called the hall today the chances of finding someone who is experienced, knowledgeable and able to make good time of almost any of the products we install are slim to none. Funny thing is day in day out I walk job sites I see improperly installed firestop and insulation. Insulation that’s so poorly installed that it’s going keep a building warm like a t shirt in a blizzard or firestop that is installed with the wrong product’s or done completely wrong. I happen to see this improperly installed firestop system the other day. It left me with this question. Is saving a few dollars now using improperly trained, uncertified or inexperienced installers worth the cost of failed inspections, frozen pipes, call backs or worse loss of life or property? If it was “apprentice” work then everyone would be good at it. If your tired of dealing with issues from inexperienced, untrained or unqualified installers, please feel free to call me or Tedco Insulation Inc

US should invest in trades…. The infrastructure buildout could be slowed by lack of qualified electricians and piping skills. US should consider following the Canadian and German practice of licensed electricians and other professionals needed to build and maintain the backbone of civilization. Honor and compensate these skills as critical to the transition to low carbon infrastructure.

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RE: Continual Professional Development for ALL Plumbers in Victoria. Skill Acquisition - Plumbing Apprenticeship/Tafe V's Skill Maintenance - Continual Professional Development. We've always prided ourselves on being more than just plumbers; we're skilled tradesmen who set the standard for quality in our industry. Now, it's time to take that commitment to the next level with Continuing Professional Development (CPD). CPD is all about staying sharp, skilled, and ahead of the curve. It's our chance to keep learning and growing in our craft, ensuring we remain the best at what we do. But here's the kicker: the way CPD is governed and distributed is currently up for discussion, and if we don't speak up, others will make those decisions for us. We can't let people who've never set foot on a worksite dictate our professional growth. If we stay silent, we risk being saddled with unrealistic CPD demands that don't reflect our real-world experience. So, here's the call to arms: Visit the link below and make your voice heard. This is our opportunity to shape CPD for Plumbers in a way that works for us, the ones out in the field every day. Let's make sure our expertise and practical knowledge lead the way in shaping these standards. 🔗 Have Your Say on CPD https://lnkd.in/gibpF_f3

So when is 'enough is enough'? I've had problems right from the start with my plumber and maybe I should have cut him loose early on. But I gave him the benefit of the doubt and we got started. Here are the red flags that I should have spotted: - 2 weeks late starting - sent a brand new (and inexperienced) plumber and an apprentice to start 1st fix - didn't share the plans with his team so they were always questioning what to do - 4 weeks to complete 1st fix (sparks did it in 1 week) - constantly having to chase them as floor boards weren't put back and things weren't completed - needed to get a different team in to do ground works as they couldn't/didn't want do it - delayed pipework to increase water intake to the property - failed on inspection as they didn't follow the designs - not turning up when they said they would - currently late to start 2nd fix (sparks have completed this week) - and so many other minor things I think I'm done with him. But now I've got to find someone who will take over and at a price that's no more than what I have outstanding with the original guy, who can start next week. Wish me luck. PS. I hate confrontation 😫

In discussions about careers in the skilled trades, it's easy to focus solely on the attractive salaries. Yet, the appeal extends far beyond financial incentives. The skilled trades offer unparalleled growth potential and career fulfillment. From carpentry to plumbing, each trade presents opportunities for continuous learning and advancement. These roles provide a tangible impact on communities, creating structures, and systems that improve lives daily. As we strive to attract more individuals to skilled trades, we must emphasize these aspects: the opportunities for professional development, the sense of achievement in mastering a craft, and the direct impact on society. #SkilledTrades #CareerDevelopment #ProfessionalGrowth #JobSatisfaction

Last week, Calvin Benchimol and I visited several EllisDon's PME Inc. job sites in Edmonton and Calgary. It was a great visit, and we got to see all the hard-working and forward-thinking crew and site leaders in action. One particular site that was interesting was the new Deerland facility which is supporting various projects including Paul Band and Goodstoney First Nation housing projects where they are building 30+ affordable houses where cost management is critical to success. In this new operation, they have started a pre-fabrication line to build the wood siding walls as you see in the picture in a workshop. This includes the foam isolation and window cut-outs to specifications. They will then load those on flatbeds and deliver to site to be installed quick and easy. They are planning to add windows to the prefab pieces so that once these are installed, the rest of the work can be started indoor out of the elements. A key question was why do this instead of building these onsite? Aside from being able to do this unaffected from the weather which extends the season in which they can build, as well as managing costs, a key element was shortage of Master/Journeyman carpenters can be brought onsite. In this new model, in the workshop, one carpenter can be paired with multiple apprentices to facilitate the build with limited staffing. It looks labor shortage affecting how the industry is thinking about their operations.