What this life looks like
You bring clean water in and take dirty water away — the literal lifeblood of public health. Plumbers install, maintain, and repair water supply, drainage, and sanitation systems in homes, businesses, and infrastructure projects. With Africa facing a massive water and sanitation infrastructure gap, skilled plumbers are essential to improving public health outcomes across the continent.
What she actually does
You install and repair pipes, fixtures, and fittings for water supply and drainage, read plumbing plans and blueprints, install bathroom and kitchen fixtures, diagnose and fix leaks and blockages, install water heaters and pumps, ensure systems comply with plumbing codes and water regulations, and increasingly install rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling systems.
Where you can work
| Sector | Places in Africa |
|---|---|
| Construction Companies | Residential and commercial building contractors across all African urban centres |
| Municipal Water Authorities | City water and sanitation departments — installation and maintenance of municipal infrastructure |
| Facilities Management | Hospitals, hotels, shopping centres, and office complexes employ in-house plumbing maintenance teams |
| Self-Employed | Independent plumbing businesses serving residential and small commercial clients — high demand everywhere |
Why it matters in Africa
Over 700 million Africans lack access to basic sanitation, and rapid urbanisation is straining existing water infrastructure in every major city. Every new building — residential, commercial, or institutional — requires plumbing installation. As governments and developers invest in housing and water infrastructure, qualified plumbers are needed at a scale that vastly exceeds current training output.
Your pathway in
- Complete a TVET plumbing trade qualification through a recognised technical college
- Complete a supervised apprenticeship with a registered master plumber
- Pass your trade test for certification as a qualified plumber
- Register with your country's plumbing regulatory body (PIRB in South Africa, or equivalent)
- Consider specialising in solar water heating, greywater systems, or commercial/industrial plumbing for expanded opportunities
Skills you will need
- Pipe installation and joining techniques
- Fixture installation
- Leak diagnosis and repair
- Reading plumbing plans
- Water and sanitation code compliance
- Basic problem-solving under pressure
A woman in this field
Lorraine Mooi
South Africa
Lorraine Mooi is a trailblazing South African entrepreneur, licensed plumber, and plumbing compliance auditor widely known as the "Duchess of Plumbing." She is the founder and owner of The Plumbing Duchess, an enterprise offering comprehensive plumbing, trenchless services, and skills workshops. Mooi is highly celebrated for breaking gender barriers and driving transformation within the male-dominated trades sector in South Africa. She serves as the Co-founder and National President. The organization advocates for the inclusion, skills development, and safety of women, youth, and persons with disabilities in the technical trades.
Take your first step
- Research TVET colleges in your country offering plumbing qualifications — NITA (Kenya), TVET colleges (SA), and equivalents across Africa offer accredited plumbing training
- Watch basic plumbing tutorials online to understand pipe fittings, water pressure, and drainage principles — YouTube has extensive free plumbing training content
- Visit a hardware store and familiarise yourself with common plumbing materials and fittings — PVC pipes, copper fittings, valves — building material literacy is a practical first step
- Ask a local plumber if you can shadow them for a day — observing real jobs gives you a realistic sense of the work before committing to training
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