Are you ready to become a skilled tradesperson in one of the few licensed and regulated industries?

Water Tight Canbera are looking for Mature Age Apprentices with life skills to join our National Award Winning Team.

At Water Tight Canberra, we value the life skills that mature age apprentices can bring with them to an apprenticeship and their future career. Teaching plumbing is easy for us. What can you teach us?

We have built our business by training and employing skilled Mature Age Apprentices in Canberra in our Plumbing Industry. Some of existing dual skilled staff members include:

• A Brick Layer
• A Store Manager
• A Builder
• A Carpenter
• A Cabinet Maker
• A Horticulturist
• Skilled Labourers
• Public Servant
• A Graphic Designer
• A Social Media Expert

No matter what industry you’re coming from, your expertise in that area will have given you a unique skill set that should make you far more valuable than someone who has just finished high school. From General Labourers to Tradespeople in another trade seeking a Dual Trade Qualification or Public Servants. We Value Your Skills and Life Experience.

How Old is a Mature Age Apprentice?

How old is a Mature Age Apprentice? According to the Plumbing and Fire Sprinkler Award apprentices over the age of 21 at the time of starting their apprenticeship are considered Mature Age.

What Does A Mature Age Apprentice Get Paid in Canberra?

The first question most people ask when considering a mature age apprenticeship is, how will I afford to live on an apprentice’s income?

As Australian Plumbers, our absolute minimum pay and conditions is set in the Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020 which can be viewed on the link below.

https://awardviewer.fwo.gov.au/award/show/MA000036

Great news for you, as this award is one of the most generous to trade employees.

At the time of writing this. the minimum legal rate a business can pay for a mature age apprentice is as per the below extract from the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Fair Work Calculator. This is the legal minimum rate plus industry allowance.

Pay rate as at: 31 January 2024

Adult | Plumbing – Apprentice 1st year | Weekly hire – full-time

Hourly pay rate: $24.20 *

Weekly pay rate: $919.62 *

*To find the exact current minimum rate’s, you can look them up at:

https://calculate.fairwork.gov.au/FindYourAward

Some general settings you will use if considering a plumbing apprenticeship include

• Award = Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2020
• You will be an Apprentice, not a Trainee
• Classification = Plumbing – Apprentice 1st year
• Type of Employment = Weekly hire – full-time

Some people hear this rate and are ecstatic, as they had in mind the far cheaper rate’s that a junior apprentice would be on, and others hear this rate and are dismayed, as perhaps their current job/position is paid more.

Some things to keep in mind with this are:

• Apprentices coming from other skilled trades (dual trades) receive double time, whenever they are completing their original trades work. eg, our Dual Trade Brick Layer will get a job a month where he completes a small bricklaying job.
• A modern iPhone which can be used for personal use (fair use policy applies)
• In their second or third year, a modern vehicle with a fuel card
• Ability to earn bonuses (For example if you wow a customer and earn a 5 Star Review)
• Pay increases above the minimum award rate may occur throughout the apprenticeship as the apprentice becomes more effective/skilled

• All of your training expenses are worn by the business, not the apprentice
• You are paid for 5 days per week, however, on 1 of those day’s you will be at CIT completing the theory part of your qualification. The business only actually gets 4 chargeable days out of you in a standard week. From a business owners perspective, this equates to about a 20% pay increase on your hourly rate.
• Apprentices at Water Tight Canberra also get:

What Does A Mature Age Plumbing Apprenticeship Involve?

Completing an apprenticeship in Plumbing is the only way to become a Qualified Plumber.

All plumbing apprentices will gain skills in:

• Water Supply and Hot Water Systems
• Sewer Drainage and Storm water Drainage
• Gas Fitting
• Roofing

Water Tight Canberra apprentices will also have opportunities to train in:

• Restricted Electrical Work
• Confined Space
• Excavator Operator
• Gas Service
• Much more

An apprenticeship in Plumbing generally lasts for 3 to 4 years, however, it may be possible to reduce this time period if you are coming into the apprenticeship with technical skills. The average Dual Trade apprentice that we have taken on has saved between 12 and 24 months off the course of their apprenticeship, with an average completion time between 2-3 years.

During your apprenticeship, you will work under the supervision of a plumber whilst you learn your skills. As your skills increase, you will start working more independently, up until the time we sign you off as completely independent to manage a certain type of job.

One day per week you will attend the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) in Fyshwick to complete theory and class based assessments.

This trade centre is one of the best in Australia and has an exceptional plumbing specific workshop that includes a 3-meter deep sandpit for drainage, welding bays, roofing bays, and many more amazing learning opportunities.

The CIT has a real commitment to learning outcomes and want to see you get the skills that will make you a leader in your trade.

For more information, see the link below

https://cit.edu.au/courses/trades/plumbing/C3-TS01

Why is the Plumbing Industry the Best?

The Plumbing industry is a highly regulated, licensed trade and with good reason. We offer the most vital service to any city or town. Without us, people would not have safe water to drink and disease from non-controlled waste systems would wipe out the population.

A Fully Licensed Plumber has generally:

• Completed a 4 Year apprenticeship and become a Journeyperson Plumber
• Completed a further two years (optional) night school to gain their Plumbing License (required if they want to work for them selves or become a senior plumber)
• Hold a license with Access Canberra, or the relevant local authority.

Plumbing is the only trade that requires an additional 2 years of study on top of your apprenticeship in order to sign off your own work.

Whilst more difficult to enter the trade, it does have flow on effects which greatly benefit plumbers once they finally become qualified.

Do Plumbers Really Earn A lot of Money?

This is a question we are often asked and it all depends on what you consider a lot of money.

Do plumbers earn more than other trades? Yes. In Australia, generally plumbers are one of the best paid trades in the building industry.

Are plumbers overpaid? Definitely not.

We complete 6 years of formal education, compared to all other trades which are between 2 and 4 years. In order to work in our industry, we are required to complete a lot of additional formal qualifications and licenses, such as restricted electrical, confined space and minor works with asbestos to name but a few. We are 100% accountable for the quality of our work and if we were to install non-compliant work we would face prosecution, government fines and even a loss of license.

Plumbers are highly skilled professionals and as such, deserve to be compensated for this in their wages.

Water Tight – A Great Team Environment

We are extremely proud of the great team environment we have which makes going to work that little bit more enjoyable.

Our team get the opportunity to:

• A Social Fund, funded by the Scrap Metal Bins
• BBQ Breakfast Team Meetings
• Team Dinners
• Weekend Fishing Trips
• PT Gym Sessions
• Table Tennis Tournaments
• and let’s face it, the occasional beer or feed at the pub

Water Tight - Great Conditions

We subscribe to the philosophy of Sir Richard Branson, “Take Care Of Your Employees And They’ll Take Care Of Your Business,”

Treating our staff right is one of our highest priorities.

To name but a few of the every day benefits:

• Modern Vehicles
• iPhones for all staff
• Professional Uniform
• Simplified Timesheet/management system
• High Wages – Well above the award and at the top of the industry
• Small Additional Bonuses

Water Tight – Focused on Ongoing Training

It’s our goal to upskill you to be the best plumber in Canberra. We would like nothing more than to give you the qualifications and skills so that every plumber in Canberra would like to employ you, however, we aim to treat you well so that you don’t want to leave.

Some of the courses (beyond a Cert III and IV in Plumbing) that are available to all of our staff include

• TMV Accreditation
• Backflow Prevention Accreditation
• Restricted Electrical License
• Type A Gas Service License
• Excavator Operator Ticket
• Confined Space Accreditation
• Working at Heights Accreditation
• Working With Asbestos Accreditation

Water Tight – Industry Leading Company

We are passionate about the Plumbing Industry.

Without a doubt, plumbing is the most important industry to any population. Without us, it would be impossible to have densely populated cities, as disease would spread and the city would cease to exist.

Water Tight Canberra’s Business Owner, Tom Martin, is board member of the ACT Master Plumbers Association.

Our team are kept in touch with our great industry and are always at the forefront of changes and new opportunities.

Water Tight – A Company to Be Proud Of

We have been recognised for our above and beyond levels of service in many ways including:

• Winning the 2019 National Telstra Small and Succeeding Business Award. Over 20,000 businesses entered the 2019 Telstra business awards and only 4 of them walked away with a National award.
• Winning the 2018 Icon Water Community Excellence award. An award we won when Icon Water recognised how we went above and beyond for members of the community.
• Winning the 2021 Top of the Trade – Large business award

There is nothing more satisfying than being in a random conversation with a friend or family member and hearing about a great experience they have had with the company you work for. Due to our commitment to high-quality customer service, this happens regularly to all of our team members.

Water Tight – Giving Back to Community

We believe in giving back to the community that supports us. Both as a company and as an employee, you will get opportunities to give back including:

• As a team, we donate blood every 3 months. (This is optional if your scared of needles or have personal beliefs that prevent you from participating)
• We complete free work for Canberra’s disadvantaged. People can register through a charity who manage an assessment to ensure they qualify for this assistance, and then we will attend and ensure their plumbing system is operating well. (Tradesman are paid in full for this work. The cost is worn by the business)
• We are always looking out for opportunities to give back. Other one off projects we have done is providing tool’s as disaster relief in Fiji, water filters to third world countries and more.