A Springdale company will help new plumbers climb to the top of their field by paying for their education .
“ If part of your plan is to become a plumber , Allied can pay for your schooling ,” said Josh Ross , Allied Plumbing Owner .
The service industry can provide a good living for Allied employees , Ross said .
“ The business started in 1995 ,” Ross said . “ Now , we have 31 employees . That ’ s doubled in the last two years .” on his journeyman license . He prefers working on plumbing in new buildings .
“ I like construction jobs . It was a hit with me ,” Jarnagan said . “ I like being outdoors instead of being indoors .”
Before leaving for a job in North Dakota in the oil fields , Jarnagan worked a year and a half for the city of Fayetteville ’ s water department . He started with Allied when he returned to the area . “ You ’ ve got to like fixing leaks if you work for the city ,” he said .
To earn a journeyman ’ s certification , you have to go to an evening class each week for four years while you are working as an apprentice plumber , Ross explained . You then take and pass a test . Apprentices can take the class at Northwest Arkansas Community College , he said .
“ You could have a journeyman license at 24 ,” said Beth Patterson , head of finances for Allied Plumbing . “ There are not a lot of jobs where you can advance that quickly .”
Allied handles both home plumbing repairs and new construction . The company employs both journeymen and apprentice plumbers . A journeyman is a skilled worker who has completed an official apprenticeship .
“ Most of our journeymen have started here as apprentices and worked their way up ,” Ross said . “ We ’ ve had a lot of apprentices working here and been successful in training them .”
The plumbing jobs vary at Allied , with a few workers specializing in certain areas . Jobs outside of the usual water and gas lines include work on septic systems and on medical gas lines .
The company is also changing the way people look at plumbers . Allied wants its workers to look like professionals , Patterson said .
Apprentices make $ 10 to $ 15 per hour and journeymen can make $ 18 to $ 28 per hour .
Will Jarnagan , an apprentice with Allied , is working
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