Frenship started the plumbing program with the start of the 2022 – 2023 school year, after a community member reached out about the need for more plumbers in Wolfforth, Lubbock, and beyond.   

There are currently 39 students enrolled in the plumbing courses and are learning under the instruction of a Master Plumber and business owner, Walter Hardy. Students in the Plumbing program are learning academic and technical skills in a high-skill, high-wage, and high-demand trade. Through lab-based learning experiences, students can obtain their Plumbing Apprenticeship cards and begin clocking hours towards earning future Plumbing licenses. 

Students who complete the Plumbing program of study will qualify to test for the Tradesman Limited Exam immediately upon graduation. Students in this program are highly trained and will be able to go straight into the workforce, earn a high wage, and continue to work towards earning additional Plumbing licenses. 

In addition to the academic instruction by Hardy, Frenship have developed strong community partners to further the education of the students. These partners see the value in establishing strong trades programs of study at the high school level.  

“Our partners are excited to see students trained in a skill that will lead to employment, meet community needs, and fill the gap with Plumbers retiring out of the profession,” said Ira Flores, CTE Coordinator at Frenship ISD.  

Morrison Supply Company, one of the community partners, donated the startup materials to launch the Plumbing program. Industry partners continue to make connections with students by dedicating time to serve as a guest speaker in the Plumbing I classes. These partners provide students with an industry perspective about the latest job market trends, starting wages in the industry, future employment and training, and expose students to various job opportunities within the plumbing field.  

“We are committed to building a workforce pipeline for students to be prepared and highly trained to enter the plumbing profession right out of high school,” said Flores. “What we do is important, we are preparing kids for their FUTURE!”