Meet the First Black Woman to Become a Master Plumber in the U.S.

Who is Adrienne Bennett?

Adrienne Bennett is the first Black woman to become a master plumber in the United States. In honor of Black History Month, this blog will discuss her successful and groundbreaking career in plumbing. Her perseverance and determination led her to make her own path where there wasn’t one already. 

The Early Years

As one of eight siblings, Bennett stood out by earning good grades in school, where she was interested in math and science. She worked at an engineering firm for a training program that led to a university where she hoped to gain an engineering degree. However, because of a racially charged incident with someone at the firm, she left the job and never attended college.

After a few years, a recruiter from the Mechanical Contractors Association of Detroit approached her at a 1976 election rally about an apprenticeship program for skilled trades. Soon after, she got into a five-year apprenticeship program with a plumbers’ union.

The Career

contractor Throughout her training, she did well and earned praise for her work. However, she was surrounded by men and had to deal with harassment and hostility from her male peers. But she persevered, and when she completed the program, she became the first woman in the state to do it.

After completing her training and the required 4,000 hours of experience to qualify for the master plumber exam, she took the test and became the first Black woman to become a master plumber in her state of Michigan and the entire country. Bennett was able to land several desirable positions within the field. She worked as a journeyman plumber, a master plumber, a project manager, a plumbing inspector, and a code enforcement officer for the city of Detroit. 

The CEO

contractor After making her way through the plumbing industry and many years in the business, Bennett was ready to work as an independent contractor. She now runs a company with her son, which is involved in rebuilding Detroit and focuses on water conservation. She is continuing her successful career as the President and CEO of her company.

Her trailblazing path in a male-dominated industry continues, and she helps the next generation of tradespeople too by sitting on the Architectural Engineering Advisory Board for Lawrence Technological University, the college she had planned on going to but never got to attend.

About Super Plumbers

Super Plumbers is a family-owned and operated full-service plumbing company serving Tyler, TX, and the surrounding areas. They offer 24/7 emergency repairs, upfront pricing, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Call them today for plumbing services in Tyler, TX.

Distribution Links +

What Does an Industrial Plumber Do?

What It Takes to Be an Industrial Plumber

What would life look like without residential plumbers? They help homeowners with a wide variety of tasks, from fixing leaking pipes and plumbing fixtures to installing new water heaters. Residential plumbers are crucial to any community, but industrial plumbers are just as essential. Someone has to keep up with the plumbing maintenance needs of stores, restaurants, and office buildings, and that’s what industrial plumbers are here to do. 

This article will explore more about the responsibilities and training needed to be an industrial plumber.

Residential Plumbing vs. Industrial Plumbing

two industrial plumbers

As mentioned, residential plumbers are critical to society. They help homeowners manage a wide variety of plumbing maintenance and repair options, including the following most talked about residential plumbing needs.

  • Fixture installation services
  • Water leak detection and repair services
  • Drain cleaning services
  • Water heater installation and repair services
  • Water pressure adjustment services
  • Pipe burst services

With these services taken care of, homeowners can go about their daily routines with minimum disruption. But of course, people can’t stay in their homes 24/7. They run errands at various stores, go out to eat or pick up food to take it home, work outside of the home, and so on. Industrial plumbers are the ones who allow individuals to go about the rest of their daily routines without the worry of having functional, public bathrooms, laundromats, or kitchens.

Industrial Plumber Education

education

As with any career path, there are many educational and training requirements before going out into the real world. To become a plumber, one must complete a series of educational classes to learn the ins and outs of a plumbing system: how it works, what components are involved, why plumbing problems happen, and so on. It also requires completing an apprenticeship program lasting several years, where the individual will work under the guidance of an experienced plumber to gain hands-on expertise. 

And finally, most states require a plumber to be licensed and ensure that they are knowledgeable of all codes and regulations needed for safety. 

Commercial Plumbing Services

Residential homes and commercial buildings often run into the same types of plumbing problems: leaking pipes and faucets, clogged drains, new fixture or pipe installation, water heating services, water softener services, etc. The difference between the two is the scale. In a residential setting, the plumber only needs to consider a handful of people, but a commercial building has much higher demands of the plumbing system. 

a plumber working

Commercial systems are more complex, with more pipes, sinks, toilets, higher water pressure, greater usage, and different permit requirements. Commercial buildings also have large water boilers to provide hot water throughout the building rather than a small water heater that only provides hot water in a residential house. 

Being an industrial plumber requires completely different tools and skills to maintain such a large and complex plumbing system in commercial settings.

About Super Plumbers

With over a decade of experience in the community, homeowners can always rely on Super Plumbers in Tyler, TX to perform fast, effective repair and installation. Their expertly trained plumbers pride themselves on their dedication to providing quality plumbing service.