Individuals who want to become pipefitters can complete one-year certificate/diploma or two-year associate degree programs in this field. These types of programs are available at technical schools and community colleges. Associate degree programs typically feature general education courses such as English or math along with pipefitting coursework, while certificate programs usually focus exclusively on trade-specific classes. As part of college training programs, aspiring pipefitters also can complete internships to gain hands-on experience in the field. During these internships they can practice using electronic test devices as well as trade instruments such as hacksaws and temperature gauges.
Pipefitters can complete apprenticeship programs sponsored by organizations such as the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada. Apprenticeships last four to five years and combine paid, hands-on training with 144 hours of related classroom instruction each year. During an apprenticeship students earn a portion of what a professional pipefitter is paid, and their earnings increase as their experience increases.
To get into a college-level pipefitting program, students should have a high school diploma or GED. High school classes that can prepare aspiring pipefitters for studies and work in this industry include shop, physics, chemistry and math, according to StateUniversity.com. Individuals who are interested in entering a pipefitting apprenticeship generally must be 18 years old and pass an exam administered by their state's employment service.
Classes at schools for pipefitting cover topics such as computer-aided drafting, rotating equipment alignment and pipefitter math. Industrial metallurgy also is covered at schools such as Southwestern Illinois College. Students learn how to weld pipes together in a shop environment, study how heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems operate and learn how hydraulic systems work, reports Education-Portal.com. At schools such as Texas State Technical College, students review Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations for the construction industry, piping standards/materials and field measuring.