Plumbers harder to find, hire in Central Oregon
It is becoming increasingly difficult to find a plumber to do work around Central Oregon.
And now, even companies are having trouble finding quality plumbers to hire.
The biggest issue is that there are not enough people getting into the trades anymore.
Garry Bespflug is a plumber with Central Oregon Heating and Cooling, and the company just recently expanded to add a plumbing branch.
He said Wednesday it has been several months, and the company still has not been able to find people to fill its open positions.
“We’ve been advertising for about five months now, looking for journeyman plumbers. We’ve just started our plumbing branch for the company, and to no avail,” Bespflug said. “You know, we’ve had a few applicants, but none with the specific skill sets or credentials that we need to hire right now.”
Bespflug said he would love to see more of an interest in the trades.
He said the lack of workers also has had an effect on the housing and building industry as plumbers work to keep up with the demand.
He said plumbing is a trade in which people can make a good living, and have minimal schooling to be very successful.
Jason Firkus, with Firkus Plumbing, said he has see the number of students in the plumbing apprentice program drop in the past 10 to 20 years.
Plumbing was a family business for Firkus, so getting into the industry was an easy choice. But for others, the job doesn’t seem to be as appealing.
“Back 20 years ago, there was a lot more family involved,” Firkus said. “My father and uncle were plumbers, so that’s kind of how I got into the trade. I think it is nowadays a lot more online work, a lot of home-based computer work.”
Firkus said the shift in the way money can be made today has led people away from working with their hands and learning a trade.
The numbers in the apprenticeship program have taken a big dip, and the industry has had to change and adapt because of it.
Firkus said the norm is now going to college after high school, but he wants high schoolers to know that there are other options that can provide a good living.
