Pipe Layer
What the work is
Lays, assembles and connects pipe systems made of steel, iron, plastic, concrete or other materials for water mains, sewers and drains.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Inspects the ground to determine the suitability for pipe laying, and digs and backfills trenches for pipe installation
- Measures and cuts pipes to required lengths, and assembles and connects pipes using appropriate fittings and tools
- Seals pipe joints to ensure they are watertight, tests pipe systems for leaks, and makes necessary repairs
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a plumbing and drainage contractor laying pipe and servicing drains on a new housing estate. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- Water runs through a new line for the first time and there are no leaks
- Learning a little more each day from a plumber who explains the why
- Leaving a street tidy, with the trench filled and nothing left to show
Hard days
- Digging in wet clay while it is raining and the trench keeps filling
- Cleaning a blocked drain on a hot afternoon, with the smell to match
- Being asked to do something that is the plumber's job, not yours
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 821632, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.