Occupation

Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

Human Advantage 61%

Significant human skills needed

AI Automation Risk Moderate Risk
3.7 / 10

Some tasks in this role may be augmented by AI, but human oversight and interpersonal skills remain important.

Help plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, or pipelayers by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.

Also Known As: Conduit Helper, Gas Main Fitter Helper, Hydraulic Plumber Helper, Industrial Gas Fitter Helper, Journeyman Plumber, Marine Pipefitter Helper, Marine Steam Fitter Helper, Pipe Coverer Helper +18 more

Video

Core Tasks

  1. Measure, cut, thread and assemble new pipe, placing the assembled pipe in hangers or other supports.
  2. Cut or drill holes in walls or floors to accommodate the passage of pipes.
  3. Perform rough-ins, repair and replace fixtures and water heaters, and locate, repair, or remove leaking or broken pipes.
  4. Assist pipe fitters in the layout, assembly, and installation of piping for air, ammonia, gas, and water systems.
  5. Cut pipe and lift up to fitters.
  6. Fit or assist in fitting valves, couplings, or assemblies to tanks, pumps, or systems, using hand tools.
  7. Requisition tools and equipment, select type and size of pipe, and collect and transport materials and equipment to work site.
  8. Mount brackets and hangers on walls and ceilings to hold pipes, and set sleeves or inserts to provide support for pipes.
  9. Excavate and grade ditches, and lay and join pipe for water and sewer service.
  10. Disassemble and remove damaged or worn pipe.
  11. Clean shop, work area, and machines, using solvent and rags.

Supplemental Tasks (4)

  1. Install gas burners to convert furnaces from wood, coal, or oil.
  2. Fill pipes with sand or resin to prevent distortion, and hold pipes during bending and installation.
  3. Immerse pipe in chemical solution to remove dirt, oil, and scale.
  4. Clean and renew steam traps.

Education & Training

Job Zone 2 Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Education: These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Experience: Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
On-the-Job Training: Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
49%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
27%
Master's Degree
10%
Some College Courses
9%
Less than a High School Diploma
6%

Technology & Tools

Hot Technologies

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Word

Tools & Equipment (256)

  • Adjustable wrenches
  • Air compressors
  • Air hammers
  • Air operated grinders
  • Air pressure gauges
  • Air wire brushes
  • Aligning clamps
  • Allen wrenches
  • Alternating current AC welding equipment
  • Amp meters
  • Angle air grinders
  • Augers
  • Automatic levels
  • Backhoes
  • Ball peen hammers
  • Bandsaws
  • Basin wrenches
  • Basket strainer wrenches
  • Belting slings
  • Bench chain vises
  • Bench vises
  • Bevel grinding machines
  • Bibb seat tools
  • Block and tackle equipment
  • Bolt cutters
  • Boring machines
  • Box end wrenches
  • Brazing equipment
  • Bulldozers
  • Butane torches
  • Cable plows
  • Cable saws
  • Calipers
  • Carpenters' levels
  • Caulking guns
  • Centering head tools
  • Chain falls
  • Chain tongs
  • Chain wrenches
  • Channel lock pliers
  • Circular saws
  • Cleanout plug wrenches
  • Compactors
  • Compound leverage wrenches
  • Comprehensive water gauges
  • Compression sleeve pullers
  • Concrete saws
  • Cordless drills
  • Cordless screwdrivers
  • Crescent wrenches
  • Crowbars
  • Cutoff saws
  • Deburring tools
  • Diagonal cutting pliers
  • Die heads for plastic pipe/conduit
  • Die heads for threading machines
  • Direct current DC arc welder
  • Direct tap machines
  • Ditch pumps
  • Drain cleaning cables
  • Drain cleaning machines
  • Dredges
  • Drill presses
  • Dump trucks
  • Dumpy levels
  • End pipe wrenches
  • Excavators
  • Expanding-jaw pliers
  • Explosimeters
  • Facing machines
  • Faucet handle pullers
  • Faucet stem and cartridge pullers
  • Fill pumps
  • Flaring tools
  • Flat files
  • Flow gauges
  • Forklifts
  • Four-in-one keys
  • Gas leak detection devices
  • Gasket cutters
  • Generators
  • Graders
  • Hacksaws
  • Hand spinners
  • Hand tachometers
  • Heavy duty water pressure gauges
  • Hex wrenches
  • Hole cutting tools
  • Hollow core socket wrenches
  • Horizontal boring machines
  • Hydraulic cranes
  • Hydraulic valve turners
  • Hydrostatic testers
  • Impact hammers
  • Impact screwdrivers
  • Impact wrenches
  • Internal wrenches
  • Ladders
  • Laser levels
  • Lathes
  • Light pickup trucks
  • Line locators
  • Magnetic circle layout tools
  • Magnetic locators
  • Manlifts
  • Manual benders
  • Manual screw jacks
  • Maximum reading water pressure gauges
  • Measuring tapes
  • Metal inert gas MIG welders
  • Mini hacksaws
  • Mini tubing cutters
  • Moisture meters
  • Monkey wrench sets
  • Motor-driven brushes
  • Motor-driven grinders
  • Mud pumps
  • Narrow mouth shovels
  • Non-contact infrared thermometers
  • Null locators
  • Offset grinders
  • Offset pipe wrenches
  • Ohmmeters
  • Oilers
  • One stop wrenches
  • Optical levels
  • Pedestal grinders
  • Pedestal sink wrenches
  • Phillips head screwdrivers
  • Pigs
  • Pipe benders
  • Pipe bending mandrels
  • Pipe beveling machines
  • Pipe cutters
  • Pipe cutting machines
  • Pipe extractors
  • Pipe flange aligners
  • Pipe freezing kits
  • Pipe lasers
  • Pipe threaders
  • Pipe threading machines
  • Pipe wrenches
  • Pipelayers
  • Pipeline jacks
  • Plasma cutting guides
  • Plastic nut basin wrenches
  • Plumbers' pliers
  • Plumbers' snakes
  • Plungers
  • Pneumatic drills
  • Pneumatic wire brushes
  • Polyvinyl chloride PVC cutters
  • Polyvinyl chloride PVC saws
  • Pop-up plug wrenches
  • Portable grinders
  • Portable welding machines
  • Power drills
  • Power spinners
  • Powered tampers
  • Pressurized water pigs
  • Propane torches
  • Pry bars
  • Pulleys
  • Radius markers
  • Rapwrenches
  • Rat-tail files
  • Ratchet wrenches
  • Ratcheting box wrenches
  • Reamers
  • Rebar locators
  • Reciprocating pipe saws
  • Reciprocating saws
  • Right-angle drills
  • Rodders
  • Roll groovers
  • Root ranger jetter nozzles
  • Rotary hammers
  • Round point shovels
  • Rubber strap wrenches
  • Safety harnesses
  • Sand pumps
  • Sandblasters
  • Scaffolding
  • Seat dressers
  • Seat wrenches
  • Sewage pumps
  • Sewer tapes
  • Shielded arc welding tools
  • Shower valve socket wrenches
  • Shut-off keys
  • Six-step faucet seat wrenches
  • Sledgehammers
  • Slip joint pliers
  • Snakes
  • Soil pipe cutters
  • Soldering equipment
  • Soldering irons
  • Spiral ratchet pipe reamers
  • Split bubble levels
  • Spud wrenches
  • Staple guns
  • Stationary grinders
  • Stillson wrenches
  • Straight pipe wrenches
  • Straight-fluted pipe reamers
  • Strap wrenches
  • Sump pumps
  • Swaging tools
  • Tapping tools
  • Telescopic inspection mirrors
  • Telescoping basin wrenches
  • Test pumps
  • Thread repair files
  • Tin snips
  • Tirfors
  • Torch cutter guides
  • Torches
  • Track loaders
  • Tractor pipe carrier attachments
  • Tractors with backhoe attachments
  • Tractors with loader attachments
  • Transit levels
  • Transmitters
  • Trenchers
  • Trutest smoke detectors
  • Tub drain removers
  • Tube bending springs
  • Tube crimping tools
  • Tubing cutters
  • Tuggers
  • Tungsten inert gas TIG welding equipment
  • Two way radios
  • Two-hole pins
  • Ultrasonic leak detectors
  • Universal nut wrenches
  • Utility pumps
  • Vacuum gauges
  • Vacuum plungers
  • Vertical bandsaws
  • Vibration analyzers
  • Video diagnostic tools
  • Voltmeters
  • Water heater element removal wrenches
  • Water jetters
  • Water meter keys
  • Water pressure gauges
  • Water pump pliers
  • Water samplers
  • Water stoppers
  • Welding clamps
  • Welding hoods
  • Wheel loaders
  • Wide roll pipe cutters
  • Winches
  • Wire brushes
  • Wire tracers

Where This Career Leads

Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.

Skilled Trades Advanced Manufacturing

Zone 2
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