Plumbing

By the end, you can explain how water supply and drainage systems work, name common fittings and tools, and you are ready to apply for an apprenticeship or formal plumbing training (this path does not qualify you as a plumber).

Career pathwayAbout 60 hours3 stagesFree

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Career pathway. This is a regulated career. Online learning gives you strong foundations and a clear plan, but you will need to study and register formally to work in it. The route is explained on this page.

Lessons play here, from free YouTube courses.

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Plumbing is the installation and repair of the pipes, fittings, geysers and drains that bring clean water into buildings and take waste water away. South Africa needs qualified plumbers for new housing, water-saving work and geyser installations, and only registered plumbers may sign off certain work.

Turn on JavaScript to track your progress. The lessons are:FoundationsUnderstand how water supply, hot water and drainage systems work in a house, and the basic tools and pipe materials used.Task: Draw a simple diagram of the plumbing in your home or school (cold supply, hot water from the geyser, drains and the main stopcock). Label at least eight parts and write one sentence on what each part does.Core skillsLearn how pipes are sized, joined and supported, and how traps and vents stop sewer gas from entering a building.Task: Make a table comparing copper, PVC and polyethylene (HDPE) pipe: where each is used, how it is joined, and one advantage and one risk of each. Then explain in your own words why every basin and toilet needs a trap and a vent.Applied practicePlan a small, real-world job safely and in the right order, the way a plumber's assistant would.Task: Write a step-by-step job plan for replacing a leaking basin tap: tools and parts list, how you isolate the water, the steps, and how you test for leaks. Add a short note on which jobs (for example geyser installations) must be done or signed off by a registered plumber in South Africa.

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What competent looks like

Can explain the difference between the water supply side and the drainage side of a building
Can name and identify common fittings (elbow, tee, coupling, stopcock, trap) and the pipe material they suit
Can explain why traps and vents are needed and what happens if they are missing
Can plan a simple repair job safely, including isolating water and testing for leaks
Knows which work must be done or certified by a PIRB-registered plumber

The South African route

Plumber is a listed trade in South Africa. You qualify through an apprenticeship, learnership or occupational qualification, then pass a trade test to become a qualified artisan, and register with the Plumbing Industry Registration Board (PIRB), whose registered plumbers can issue Plumbing Certificates of Compliance.

Free resources

These links go to free courses and sites run by other organisations. We chose them in October 2026 but do not run them, so check costs, dates and entry requirements on their site. Broken link? Tell us.

Jobs it can lead to

Plumber's assistant
Apprentice plumber
Learner plumber
Maintenance assistant (facilities)
Plumbing supplies counter assistant