| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Joint union-employer apprenticeship school, in person |
| Sponsor | Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee of Plumbers Local 98 and MCA Detroit; run by a nonprofit training trust fund |
| Location | 1 training center: Troy, MI (metro Detroit) |
| Credentials | Apprenticeship completion, trade certifications and a required associate degree through Washtenaw Community College |
| Length | 5 years, 10,000 combined hours of work and classroom training |
| Tuition | $0; apprentices buy their own books and supplies |
| Accreditation | Institutional accreditation does not apply (not a college) |
| Federal aid | No (no tuition to pay) |
| Next deadline | 18 December 2026, or when 200 applicants have applied |
| Founded | Plumbers Local 98: 1893; Troy center opened October 2005 |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
Local 98’s plumbing apprenticeship school in Troy
The Plumbers Local 98 & MCA Detroit Training Center is the school of the joint apprenticeship run by Plumbers Local 98, the plumbers’ local of the United Association, and the Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) of Detroit. “Plumbing Industry Training Center”, the name this page uses, is its older name, which appears on its 2019 brochure.
It is not a college. Apprentices are hired by signatory contractors, work on their job sites and come to the Troy center for classroom training. The program is tuition-free and lasts five years. Local 98 dates from 1893 and reports more than 1,600 members.
One program: the five-year plumbing apprenticeship
| Program | Credential | Length | Delivery | Where | Prepares for | Published cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing apprenticeship | Apprenticeship completion; associate degree through Washtenaw Community College | 5 years, 10,000 hours | Paid work for a signatory contractor; school one day every other week | Troy, MI | Michigan journey plumber licence exam; Signal Person, Cross Connection Control Tester, Medical Gas Installer, Supervision and Plumbing STAR certifications | $0 tuition; books extra |
The apprenticeship is the only program for new entrants. Classes the center runs for journeyworkers, such as backflow tester and medical gas courses, are open to working plumbers only.
What the apprenticeship covers
Years 1 to 3: tools, pipe systems and welding
The first year covers welding, the use and care of tools, basic rigging, construction safety, pipes, valves and fittings, soldering, brazing and copper systems, related math, and drawing and plan reading. Welding continues every year to Year 3. Year 2 adds science, water supply and more math and plan reading, and Year 3 covers pumps, drainage, fixtures and service work. Apprentices must keep a grade average of 75% or better, buy their own books and supplies, and accept substance-abuse testing when required.
Years 4 and 5: licence preparation and certifications
Year 4 prepares apprentices for the Michigan journey plumber licence test and includes the Signal Person and Cross Connection Control Tester certifications. Year 5 brings Medical Gas Installer certification, natural gas, pipe and tube bending, a Supervision certification and Plumbing STAR certification. Alongside the trade work, apprentices must earn an associate degree through Washtenaw Community College; the training center’s home page says apprentices earn 30 to 38 college credits toward an associate degree from local community colleges. The site does not say who pays the college’s tuition for the remaining credits.
Tuition-free, with paid work throughout
The apprenticeship is tuition-free, and apprentices are paid for their work hours. The training center says apprentices earn about $250,000 over the five years, counting wages and fringe benefits, and that medical benefits cover the apprentice, spouse and children. It publishes no current wage scale.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $0 |
| Books and supplies | Paid by the apprentice; amount not published |
| Entrance tests (WorkKeys, Wiesen) | Taken at outside test sites; current fee not published |
| Pay over the 5 years | About $250,000 including wages and fringe benefits (the training center’s figure) |
There is no federal student aid, because there is no tuition to cover. Union dues are not listed on the current site.
How to apply: tests, deadline and interview roster
The current application round closes on 18 December 2026, or earlier once 200 people have applied, according to the apprenticeship page, which is also where applications start. Applications are accepted online only. Applicants must:
- be at least 18 when class starts, with a valid driver’s licence and reliable transportation;
- have an official high-school diploma, transcript or GED, and be drug-free;
- score at least Level 6 in Applied Math, Level 5 in Graphic Literacy and Level 5 in Workplace Documents on WorkKeys, taken within the last two years;
- score at least 48 on the Wiesen Test of Mechanical Aptitude.
Both tests are taken in person at a certified site, such as Michigan Works, Macomb Community College or Schoolcraft College. Applicants upload the diploma or GED, driver’s licence and WorkKeys results, and those accepted go on a roster eligible for interview. No acceptance rate is published.
Once in, the normal workday is Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm, with possible overtime and weekend work. School takes one day every other week; the other nine working days are spent on the job.
Licensing, oversight and results
Institutional accreditation does not apply, because this is a union-employer apprenticeship, not a college. The program is run by the Metropolitan Detroit Plumbing Industry Training Trust Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, per its IRS filings on ProPublica. Apprentices must register with the State of Michigan as plumber apprentices.
The program does not award the plumbing licence. Michigan’s licensing agency, LARA, issues the journey plumber licence after a written and a practical exam, and requires at least 6,000 hours over at least three years as a registered apprentice working under a licensed plumber, according to LARA’s plumbing licensing page.
The training center publishes no completion, job placement or licence pass rates, and no count of graduates. We found no review platform with 25 or more reviews of the program.
Before you apply
- You cannot simply enroll: the program is sponsored by the JATC of Plumbers Local 98 and MCA Detroit, apprentices are employees of signatory contractors, and accepted applicants go on a roster eligible for interview rather than straight into the program.
- The application round can close before 18 December 2026 if 200 people apply first.
- The associate degree through Washtenaw Community College is a requirement, not an option, so plan for college coursework on top of work and trade school.
- Completing the apprenticeship does not by itself make you a licensed journey plumber; you still have to pass LARA’s exams.
- The $250,000 earnings figure is the training center’s own, and it publishes no current wage scale or book costs.
The Troy training center
The center at 1911 Ring Drive, Troy, MI 48083 opened in October 2005 as Local 98’s fourth training school, replacing its school on Seven Mile Road in Detroit; the building is 35,000 square feet, according to Michigan Building Trades. Local 98’s union office in Madison Heights is not a school site.
The training center’s office is open Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm, and can be reached at 248-585-1435 or through its contact page.
Where the apprenticeship leads
The training center’s career paths include journeyman plumber and roles such as foreman, supervisor or superintendent, estimator, designer, instructor, sales, office manager, union or contractor management, and owning a contracting business. Apprentices work for signatory contractors from the start, but that is not the same as a published placement rate.
Facts checked October 2026.
Programs & Courses
Apprenticeship (sponsored by the Local 98 and MCA Detroit JATC; apprentices work for signatory contractors)
- Plumbing apprenticeship (5 years, 10,000 hours of work and classroom training)
- Associate degree through Washtenaw Community College (required)
Licence preparation and certifications within the apprenticeship
- Michigan journey plumber licence test preparation (Year 4)
- Signal Person
- Cross Connection Control Tester
- Medical Gas Installer
- Supervision
- Plumbing STAR
Journeyworker continuing education (working plumbers only)
- ASSE Backflow Tester and recertification
- Medical Gas Installer
- ICRA / Water Quality
- Hydronic
- Steam
- CAD/BIM
Campus Locations
Detroit (Troy), MI 1911 Ring Drive, Troy, MI 48083