NORFOLK, Neb. – Given the need in Nebraska, a plumbing career is not just a pipe dream.
The Northeast Community College Board of Governors conducted a program review of the plumbing program during its monthly meeting on Thursday, March 13, learning in part about a growing demand for plumbers.
And Northeast has a program that can educate and train students for the workforce in less than a year, along with an apprenticeship program of three years, with the program time part of it.
Bonnie Henkel, Northeast plumbing instructor, said Northeast’s Plumbing Technology program equips students with industry-recognized skills that can lead to competitive wages.
The demand for plumbing services is on the rise, driven by population growth and infrastructure needs. The industry needs licensed journeymen and master plumbers as most of the licensed master plumbers in the area are at retirement, she said.
“Graduates are prepared to be good apprentices, not yet ready to take the plumbing exam. Students still need on-the-job experience that covers a wide range of knowledge and skills and competitive wages to appreciate the rewards of acquiring a plumbing license versus working in another less complicated field,” Henkel said.
Northeast’s plumbing program has a strong opportunity to flourish in the apprenticeship model. Courses are currently offered in the evenings and all-day Friday, allowing students to work traditional full-time hours with a contractor while earning a degree and honing their skills.
“Word of mouth is the best advertising we have,” Henkel said. “And the students do talk to each other.”
There also is a need to upgrade the current program facility. The plumbing lab facility, which is covered storage, is unheated, has no air-conditioning, and has only one outlet, without direct access to the circuit breaker. There is no access to water because it is unheated. The facility is shared with two other programs that use it for storage.
Northeast also has a house on Benjamin Avenue that provides access to running water, gas and electricity. It is, however, limited to the work that can be done without radically altering the layout of the house.
The “green energy house” next to the student-built houses has also provided space that allows students to practice plumbing rough in and gas piping. The attic space helps students practice venting and the basement provides space for horizontal piping and gas piping.
Using these extra locations, as well as using other labs in the Applied Technology building, has helped ensure that the program has adequate space for laboratory activities.
Brad Ranslem, dean of the Applied Technology program, said Northeast has developed a plan to address program needs in both the short-term and long-term, moving from the current home.
In the short-term, the program will utilize the space being vacated in the L Building for a temporary plumbing lab when the new Maclay opens. Long-term, plumbing will move into the remodeled Weller building with a new space developed to meet program needs.
Northeast board members asked several questions about the program, while going over the numbers and reviewing statistics. They said they appreciated class offerings on Fridays and in the evening.
Typically, classes start with 10 to 16 students, with retention generally good. The program is somewhat new, so it is believed that with the dedication the college has shown with improving the space, it will help to improve the program allow it to meet the region’s growing industry needs, Henkel said.
In SkillsUSA competition, Northeast has been state champion in the plumbing competition in 2023 and 2024, and was SkillsUSA national champion in Teamworks competition in 2023 and 2024.
The Teamworks category consists of two building construction, one electrical and one plumbing major. They are judged on how they work together to build either a shed or small house.
The Northeast board voted for continuation of the Plumbing Technology program for consideration by the Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education.
The plumbing students also work on the student-built homes that Northeast offers for sale each spring. Board members also approved resolutions to sell both two-bedroom houses with stone facia, with open houses in late May. The auction will be on Saturday, June 7, at 10 a.m.
Plumbing program photo
Bonnie Henkel, Northeast Community College plumbing instructor, discusses the Northeast plumbing program during a periodic review at the board meeting on Thursday, March 13. (Northeast Community College)
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