Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
What Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Do
Help plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, or pipelayers by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 1.8%
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 2 of 5Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Job training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Building and Constructionimportance 4.5/5
- Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.7/5
- Mechanicalimportance 3.6/5
- Mathematicsimportance 3.5/5
- English Languageimportance 3.3/5
- Administration and Managementimportance 3.1/5
- Designimportance 2.9/5
- Engineering and Technologyimportance 2.9/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.6/5
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions4.5/5
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.5/5
- In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment4.3/5
- Spend Time Standing4.2/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.2/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Helpers--Carpenters94% skill match
- Construction Laborers89% skill match
- Roof Bolters, Mining88% skill match
- Automotive Body and Related Repairers87% skill match
- Helpers--Roofers86% skill match
- Helpers--Electricians86% skill match
- Mechanical Door Repairers86% skill match
- Helpers--Extraction Workers85% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 2.9/5
- Coordinationimportance 2.8/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.6/5
- Repairingimportance 2.6/5
- Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.5/5
- Time Managementimportance 2.5/5
- Service Orientationimportance 2.4/5
- Equipment Selectionimportance 2.4/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Cooperation
- Cautiousness
- Perseverance
- Stress Tolerance
- Integrity
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- RealisticHigh
- ConventionalMedium
- SocialLow
- InvestigativeLow
- EnterprisingLow
- ArtisticLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Lake Charles, LA5.73× national avg
- 2Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA5.28× national avg
- 3Sumter, SC5.24× national avg
- 4Baton Rouge, LA5.14× national avg
- 5Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA4.90× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Helpers--CarpentersLateral Move
- Helpers--ElectriciansLateral Move
- Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco MasonsLateral Move
- Helpers--Extraction WorkersLateral Move
See the full career path from Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters →