Tuesday, April 25, is National Hug A Plumber Day, so Ferguson product experts are sharing three reasons these trade professionals deserve a huge embrace. 

1. A good plumber is hard to find. Skilled trade jobs are the most difficult to fill in the U.S., and nearly half of employers are feeling the impact. According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, the plumbing industry is projected to grow by 12 percent over a 12-year period; however, it’s also expected that more plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters will be retiring over the next decade. As the demand for skilled trade professionals increases, read about why it pays to be a plumber.

2. Industry changes require constant education. Today’s plumbers do more than install and service plumbing systems. Expansion into water treatment and heating and cooling installation have given these trade professionals more opportunities to service their customers and more skills to learn. Between services calls and business management, there’s little time for education and skills training, so it’s important that plumbers partner with a trade organization that caters to their needs.

The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC) is the oldest trade organization in the construction industry with a reputation for providing business resources, educational workshops and political advocacy for more than 130 years. Ferguson has supported PHCC’s Educational Board Foundation Board of Governors for more than a decade by financing scholarships, business management and technical training programs for contractors and their employees. Learn more about the top five benefits of PHCC membership. 

3. It’s a dirty job. Responsible for more than just repairing leaky faucets, plumbers unclog all sorts of water pipes, repair main sewer line backups and come in contact with some hazardous materials and chemicals. Whether stopping a leak under an overrun kitchen sink or attaching fittings in a sewer system, plumbers work through uncomfortable physical conditions every day to restore pleasantly functioning user experiences.

Show support on April 25

Ferguson is thankful for the role plumbers play in maintaining America’s plumbing infrastructure. From the large plumbing firm to the two-truck plumbing contractor, take time on April 25 to salute, high-five and honor the keepers of the clear drain. 

Source: Ferguson

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