Plumbers need various skills to perform their jobs successfully. Attention to detail within the regulations of a specialized trade and mechanical inclination are an important part of how to become a plumber.

A plumber's job description may fall into multiple categories. Plumbers are pipefitters, which are the persons responsible for fitting pipes together for the correct functioning of plumbing systems; Pipelayers are individuals that lay piping in the ground from the main water and septic systems to individual homes and businesses; Steamfitters install piping that moves liquid or gas through high pressure pipe. Performing these jobs requires individuals to be capable of tasks specific to plumbing, such as blueprint reading, ability to locate through diagrams locations for installation of pipes and also to find existing water and sewage sources. All categories of plumber must be able to thread, measure and cut pipes as well as test pipes for leakage and air pressure.

In order to become a plumber of any type in the United States, an individual has to complete an apprenticeship training of a specified amount of hours and conducted through a plumber's union or appropriate non union organization and also some apprenticeship requirements can be met through successfully completed college courses.