Meet Student Plumber, Trish!
Plumbing jobs are on the rise, and one of our students noticed that rather quickly! Meet Trish, who is enrolled in our 750-hour Plumbing Program. Trish is entering a male-dominated industry, is well-prepared, and ready to go.
Trish’s mother is a Cosmetologist and her father and grandfathers were both plumbers. Her dad graduated from the Plumbing Program at Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School in 1979. Like her mother, Trish enrolled in Cosmetology school after high school and obtained her license in 2015. She began working in a salon and day spa where she has worked since 2016. “I love being a cosmetologist but I’ve always lacked passion”, says Trish.
My Pa was an amazing Master Plumber. My favorite thing about him is no matter who I meet, everyone always says what an amazing man he was and how fantastic a plumber he was. That’s who my dad learned the trade from. When we were little, my dad would load us all up in his van and take us to different side jobs he was doing. My dad had always hoped my brothers would enter the trade but he learned early on that I was his best helper. He will be the first one to tell you that too. My dad always tells people “ I wanted to open a company and call it Driscoll and Sons but I guess it will be Driscoll and Daughter!”
Trish continues, “Day one, when I set foot in class, I realized that I was the only female. I absolutely love the guys in my class. We have such a diverse group of individuals that it makes the time fly by. The guys do not treat me any differently and that’s exactly how I want it. I don’t need special treatment. Entering a male-dominated trade, you can’t be sensitive and I’m definitely not. I would love to inspire more women to enter the trade.”
According to the Bureau of Labor, there will be an average 14% expected job growth over the next ten years in Plumbing and related industries. This is good news for people who are interested in entering the industry. The 750-hour Plumbing Program at STI is a hands-on program that provides students with the skills needed to enter the Plumbing trade. Students enter the program with little or no previous experience in the trade and are hired as apprentice plumbers upon completion. The instructors are Master Plumbers with many years of experience in a trade they love.
Trish is certainly making her mark and hopefully, others will follow. In August 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor awarded $1.5 million in grant funding through the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations to recruit more women into the industry. Good job Trish, and thank you for being a part of STI!
Graduates of STI’s 10-month, 750-hour Plumbing Program will be highly employable individuals with an advantage in becoming an apprentice. Successful graduates will have completed Tier 1 (110 hours) licensure requirements as required by the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters. The next class starts September 2nd. Click here to learn more or to see a video of the Plumbing shop.