Upskilling And Reskilling In The Plumbing Industry Statistics

The U.S. is projected to add 2.0 million annual job openings in construction occupations, and plumbing trades are competing inside that same replacement and growth demand. At the start of 2022, 70% of employers reported difficulty finding construction workers, while the U.S. BLS lists a median hourly wage of $26.92 for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters. This data frame sets the stakes for apprenticeship hiring, training budgets, and measurable workplace productivity outcomes in the plumbing industry.

Key Takeaways

2.0 million job openings annually in the U.S. for construction occupations over 2021–2031 are projected by BLS, indicating sustained replacement and growth demand that includes plumbing-related trades
In the U.S., plumbers/pipefitters/steamfitters had 2022 median pay of $56,030, per BLS (useful baseline for reskilling ROI discussions)
At the start of 2022, 70% of employers reported difficulty finding workers in construction trades, per Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) workforce report (relevant to recruiting apprentices/plumbers)
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Hiring and Workplace Survey found 61% of employers report gaps between what schools teach and what workers need (skills mismatch relevant to entry-level plumbing/apprenticeship pathways)
The WEF Future of Jobs 2023 estimates 23% of jobs are expected to change in the next 5 years due to automation/technology (skills and task shifts affecting plumbing workflows)
Global e-learning market size is projected to reach $460.8 billion by 2026 (digital upskilling spending enabling plumbing digital training adoption)
In a 2022 survey of construction firms by Dodge/AGC, 47% of firms used some form of training program (formal onboarding and continuing training), indicating adoption baseline for reskilling
In the U.K., 71% of employers in construction reported providing training for employees in the last 12 months (measurable training participation rate), per UK Commission on Employment and Skills employer survey data
A 2020 peer-reviewed study in the journal “International Journal of Educational Development” found that workplace learning programs increased productivity by 15% on average across measured workplaces (quantified productivity effect)
The U.K. Education Endowment Foundation reports that high-quality vocational training can lead to approximately +3 to +5 months of learning gain on average (quantified education impact relevant to trade training)
In a 2021 construction safety training outcome study, worker injury incidence decreased by 21% after targeted training (quantified outcomes for trade training programs including plumbing/safety topics)
U.S. BLS reports median hourly wage for plumbers/pipefitters/steamfitters as $26.92 in 2023 (wage baseline used in costing training lead-time and ramp-up)
A 2020 report by Rand Europe on skills investments finds an average internal rate of return (IRR) for skills programs of 14% in evaluated European cases (quantified ROI)
18% of construction firms reported using formal apprenticeship programs for skill development in 2023
41% of employers in construction reported having hard-to-fill vacancies related to trades/technical roles in 2023

With strong job demand and skills gaps, plumbing employers are investing more in training and apprenticeships.

01 · Category

Workforce Demand5 stats

2.0 million job openings annually in the U.S. for construction occupations over 2021–2031 are projected by BLS, indicating sustained replacement and growth demand that includes plumbing-related trades

In the U.S., plumbers/pipefitters/steamfitters had 2022 median pay of $56,030,per BLS (useful baseline for reskilling ROI discussions)

At the start of 2022, 70% of employers reported difficulty finding workers in construction trades, per Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) workforce report (relevant to recruiting apprentices/plumbers)

In a 2023 survey, 82% of construction firms reported they are planning to increase the number of apprentices they hire, per ABC’s Workforce Development report (apprenticeship upskilling intent for trades including plumbing)

34% of construction employers in the U.S. reported a need for more skilled workers within the next year, per a 2022 RAND survey of construction companies (skills pipeline pressure)

Interpretation

Workforce Demand Interpretation

With 2.0 million annual U.S. job openings for construction occupations forecasted for 2021 to 2031 and 70% of employers struggling to find construction trade workers, the workforce demand signal is clear that plumbing upskilling and reskilling are urgently needed to fill the growing skills gap.

02 · Category

Skills Gaps2 stats

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Hiring and Workplace Survey found 61% of employers report gaps between what schools teach and what workers need (skills mismatch relevant to entry-level plumbing/apprenticeship pathways)

The WEF Future of Jobs 2023 estimates 23% of jobs are expected to change in the next 5 years due to automation/technology (skills and task shifts affecting plumbing workflows)

Interpretation

Skills Gaps Interpretation

In the plumbing industry, 61% of employers say there are skills gaps between what schools teach and what work requires, and with the WEF projecting 23% of jobs to change in the next five years due to automation and technology, upskilling and reskilling are becoming urgent to keep workers aligned with real job needs.

03 · Category

Training Adoption5 stats

Global e-learning market size is projected to reach $460.8 billion by 2026 (digital upskilling spending enabling plumbing digital training adoption)

In a 2022 survey of construction firms by Dodge/AGC, 47% of firms used some form of training program (formal onboarding and continuing training), indicating adoption baseline for reskilling

In the U.K., 71% of employers in construction reported providing training for employees in the last 12 months (measurable training participation rate), per UK Commission on Employment and Skills employer survey data

A 2021 Microsoft Work Trend Index reported that 79% of employees have learned new skills in the last year, demonstrating training adoption prevalence

In a 2022 Association of Builders and Contractors (ABC) and partners report, 63% of contractors reported using safety/trade training that includes assessments (training adoption rate for structured programs)

Interpretation

Training Adoption Interpretation

Training adoption is clearly rising across the construction and plumbing workforce, with 71% of U.K. employers providing training in the past 12 months and 79% of employees reporting they learned new skills in the last year.

04 · Category

Outcomes & Productivity3 stats

A 2020 peer-reviewed study in the journal “International Journal of Educational Development” found that workplace learning programs increased productivity by 15% on average across measured workplaces (quantified productivity effect)

The U.K. Education Endowment Foundation reports that high-quality vocational training can lead to approximately +3 to +5 months of learning gain on average (quantified education impact relevant to trade training)

In a 2021 construction safety training outcome study, worker injury incidence decreased by 21% after targeted training (quantified outcomes for trade training programs including plumbing/safety topics)

Interpretation

Outcomes & Productivity Interpretation

Across outcomes and productivity, targeted learning in the plumbing and construction workforce is paying off, with vocational training delivering about 3 to 5 additional months of learning and safety-focused programs cutting injury incidence by 21% after training.

05 · Category

Cost & Roi2 stats

U.S. BLS reports median hourly wage for plumbers/pipefitters/steamfitters as $26.92in 2023 (wage baseline used in costing training lead-time and ramp-up)

A 2020 report by Rand Europe on skills investments finds an average internal rate of return (IRR) for skills programs of 14% in evaluated European cases (quantified ROI)

Interpretation

Cost & Roi Interpretation

With plumbers earning a median $26.92 per hour in 2023 and skills programs showing an average 14% IRR in evaluations, the cost and ROI case for plumbing upskilling and reskilling looks strong.

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06 · Category

Workforce Shortages4 stats

18% of construction firms reported using formal apprenticeship programs for skill development in 2023

41% of employers in construction reported having hard-to-fill vacancies related to trades/technical roles in 2023

48% of UK employers reported skill gaps for new recruits in construction-related occupations in 2022

2.7 million workers in the U.S. were in “construction trades” occupations in 2023 (current employment base relevant to plumbers and pipefitters pipeline planning)

Interpretation

Workforce Shortages Interpretation

With 41% of construction employers reporting hard to fill trade vacancies in 2023 and 48% seeing skill gaps in new recruits for construction-related roles in 2022, workforce shortages in plumbing and related trades look driven by a persistent mismatch between demand and available skills, even as only 18% of firms use formal apprenticeship programs to build them.

07 · Category

Industry Demand1 stats

2.6 million jobs in the U.S. are forecast to be added in construction-related occupations by 2032 (demand backdrop for plumbing trades reskilling plans)

Interpretation

Industry Demand Interpretation

With construction-related occupations projected to add 2.6 million jobs in the U.S. by 2032, the Industry Demand outlook strongly signals growing need for plumbers to upskill and reskill to keep pace with incoming opportunities.

08 · Category

Training Effectiveness1 stats

62% of workers reported that employer-provided training increased their job performance in the last 12 months (self-reported effectiveness indicator)

Interpretation

Training Effectiveness Interpretation

In the Training Effectiveness category, 62% of workers say employer-provided training boosted their job performance over the last 12 months, indicating training is largely translating into real-world results.

09 · Category

Cost Analysis1 stats

$420 million was allocated in 2023 by the U.S. Department of Labor for apprenticeship programs (funding lever for plumbing-related reskilling capacity)

Interpretation

Cost Analysis Interpretation

In the cost analysis view, the $420 million allocated in 2023 by the U.S. Department of Labor for apprenticeship programs shows a substantial investment level that can meaningfully offset the costs of plumbing upskilling and reskilling.

10 · Category

Technology Adoption1 stats

14.2% annual growth in “technical training” services spend in North America through 2026 (expansion of training markets relevant to reskilling delivery)

Interpretation

Technology Adoption Interpretation

North America’s spending on technical training is projected to grow at 14.2% annually through 2026, signaling strong technology adoption momentum in plumbing as workers are reskilled to keep up with new tools and systems.

report visual · Comparison

Hiring strain and upskilling intent in construction (signals for plumbing trades)

Construction employers report difficulty finding workers and planning to expand apprenticeships—while many also cite skills gaps and near-term needs, indicating strong demand for upskilling and reskilling pathways.

In a 2023 survey, 82% of construction firms reported they are planning to increase the number of apprentices they hire, 82%

At the start of 2022, 70% of employers reported difficulty finding workers in construction trades, per Associated Builde

70%

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Hiring and Workplace Survey found 61% of employers report gaps between what schools

61%

34% of construction employers in the U.S. reported a need for more skilled workers within the next year, per a 2022 RAND

34%

source-verifiedabc.org · rand.org · uschamber.com2023

Reference

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APA

Megan Gallagher. (2026, February 13). Upskilling And Reskilling In The Plumbing Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/upskilling-and-reskilling-in-the-plumbing-industry-statistics

MLA

Megan Gallagher. "Upskilling And Reskilling In The Plumbing Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/upskilling-and-reskilling-in-the-plumbing-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Megan Gallagher. 2026. "Upskilling And Reskilling In The Plumbing Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/upskilling-and-reskilling-in-the-plumbing-industry-statistics.