Two men in blue coveralls, resembling a professor and student in a craft class, are closely inspecting a plumbing pipe inside the workshop. One man gestures towards the pipe with focused attention.

Learn Practical Skills that Help You Get a Good Job in Months

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Financial independence can be yours sooner than you think—when you learn the right skills
There’s currently a major shortage of workers in the skilled trades, including plumbing. Invest a few months to learn essential HVAC and plumbing skills, and you’ll be in the perfect position to get started as a professional plumber, earning potentially $19 – $22* an hour or more in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area.
Compare that to getting an entry-level plumbing or HVAC apprenticeship, which typically pays just $15* an hour.
Learning key skills before applying for jobs boosts your earning power up to $7 more an hour, giving you an extra $15,000 in your first year alone. 
*OneNet – Durham-Chapel Hill, NC wages
Skilled Careers with Real Demand
Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook; Growth Projected 2025 – 2035
HVAC Technicians
Plumbers
$61,010
Median Pay
$63,800
Median Pay
11%
Projected Job Growth in HVAC
7%
Projected Job Growth in Plumbing
3%
Projected Growth in Other
Sectors
3%
Projected Growth in
Other Sectors
40,600
Annual Projected
Job Openings in HVAC
42,000
Annual Projected
Job Openings in Plumbing
North Carolina
16,080
2022 Employment
17,620
2032 Employment
10%
Percent Change
1,590
Annual projected job openings
United States
473,400
2023 Employment
499,700
2033 Employment
6%
Percent Change
43,300
Annual projected job openings
Training that prepares you for high-paying, 
in-demand jobs
The best news? To get started as a plumber or HVAC tech, you don’t need to go to community college for two or more years.
You can earn a Plumbing or HVAC Technician Diploma at the School of Skilled Trades in just three months. This is the ideal foundation for securing a job with a contractor, a plumbing supplier, or a property management company. More importantly, it is the fastest way to a more stable career and brighter future. 
Plus, you get to learn in a way that works for you—hands-on in a lab rather than sitting through lectures or learning just from a book.
*Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics for HVAC and Plumbing [Accessed October 2026]
Join a fast-track career training program where you will:
School of Skilled Trades blue gear bullet pointsLearn in a hands-on environment from experienced, professional plumbers and HVAC technicians.
School of Skilled Trades blue gear bullet pointsMeet and collaborate with other students who are in a similar place in life so you can motivate and help each other.
School of Skilled Trades blue gear bullet pointsLearn the technical skills you need to get a good-paying career in plumbing.
School of Skilled Trades blue gear bullet pointsPractice and make mistakes in the lab so you’ll be ready on day one when you start your new job.
School of Skilled Trades blue gear bullet pointsGet the non-technical skills—like interviewing and resume prep—that will help you stand out in the job market so you can start earning quickly. Earn your Work Ethic Certification while completing your certificate.
School of Skilled Trades blue gear bullet pointsGet personalized support that empowers you to stay in the program, finish on time, and secure a good job.
School of Skilled Trades blue gear bullet pointsLearn and practice the habits that help you earn raises and promotions. 

Want to see what training at SST is like?

School of Skilled Trades instructor showing students a plumbing fitting
A group of students and an instructor in matching uniforms observe and work together on a machine in a classroom or workshop setting.
Start building a stable, long-term career
Earning your HVAC or Plumbing Technician certificate also creates opportunities for your future. You’ll be on your way to getting licensed as an HVAC tech or plumber tech in North Carolina, which means you can earn even more. You can also explore options to start your own plumbing or HVAC business.
To take the first tech licensing exam, you first need 2,500 hours of experience, half of which can come from training and education. All the time you spend completing your Plumbing or HVAC Technician diploma counts, giving you a 250-hour head start on that requirement.
Learn valuable skills quickly and affordably
When you learn the right vocational skills that lead to a good job, your investment pays off quickly. We also offer three ways to make training easier to afford:
School of Skilled Trades blue gear bullet pointsScholarships made possible by our generous donors
School of Skilled Trades blue gear bullet pointsInstallment payment plans that allow you to pay over time
School of Skilled Trades blue gear bullet pointsLearn-while-you-earn apprenticeship programs
Trade jobs are making headlines
A person in a hard hat repairs an HVAC unit. The headline discusses choosing a career in HVAC over attending college, with a focus on mortgages versus student loans.
What’s it really like to train for and practice a trade?
From The Wall Street Journal, June 16, 2024
Get a behind-the-scenes look from Cole Kelley, a man who chose trade school over engineering school and is now a qualified HVAC technician. He enjoys his work and is planning to become a homeowner before age 25. A career in plumbing could offer you the same opportunities.
https://staging.schoolofskilledtrades.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/WhyISkippedCollegetoBeanHVACTech-2.pdf
Request Info

Start earning sooner than you thought possible. Step one is simple: 
fill out the form, and we’ll be in touch to help you get started. 

The School of Skilled Trades is a non-profit school, meaning we invest in helping you learn, not in making a profit. We’re licensed by the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges, so you learn valuable skills from qualified instructors with years of field experience.