# Introduction to Plumbing Course Online (Coming Soon) Canonical URL: ## Overview This course is the starting point for anyone considering a career in plumbing, whether you're exploring the trade for the first time or preparing to enter a formal apprenticeship. Built around the fundamentals every new plumber needs, the course covers the trade's terminology, the hand and power tools used on the job every day, and the residential plumbing systems that move water through every home. Students learn to identify the components of a water heater, walk through the supply, drain, waste, and vent systems of a residential property, and read the isometric drawings plumbers rely on in the field. The course also covers safe practices, code awareness across all four major U.S. plumbing codes, and the steps that turn a curious beginner into a working apprentice. What sets the course apart is the hands-on project work. Students build, test, and verify what they've learned through real assemblies, from a freeze-tested PEX project to a working faucet schematic. Each project includes a video walkthrough by master plumber Robert McElreavey, so learners see exactly how the techniques look when an experienced tradesperson does them. ## What you'll learn - Welcome to the trade and career pathway - Plumbing terminology and glossary - Safe practices and hazard awareness - Hand tools and power tools - Blueprint and isometric reading - Water supply, distribution, and water heaters - Drain, waste, and vent (DWV) systems - Fixtures, faucets, and fittings - Testing a plumbing system - Next steps: finding an apprenticeship ## Instructors ### David Sellers — Instructor David, the Chief Academic Officer, has a Bachelor of Architecture Degree from Penn State University and an MBA from Point Loma Nazarene University. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects. He has been teaching Autodesk programs for over 10 years and enjoys working and teaching in the architectural industry. In addition to working with the Autodesk suite, he has significant experience in 3D modeling, the Adobe Creative Suite, Bluebeam Revu, and SketchUp. David enjoys spending his free time with his wife, biking, hanging out with his kids, and listening to audiobooks by the fire. **Credentials:** - Licensed Architect - Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI SILVER – Certified \> 5 Years) - Autodesk Certified Professional: AutoCAD, Revit, Fusion 360 - Adobe Visual Design Specialist - SketchUp Certified 3D Warehouse Content Developer ### Matt Morris — Instructor Matt Morris is a registered professional engineer and has extensive experience in many aspects of the engineering and construction industry. He holds a BS and MS in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder. In his roles as a civil engineering officer in the U.S. Air Force and a project manager for a major commercial general contractor, Matt has led over 160 projects totaling over $1 Billion. As a professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point, the University of Colorado Boulder and Colorado School of Mines, Matt has taught over 2,000 students through 16 different university courses in addition to thousands of students online. Matt’s experience spans across many markets, including federal government, public works, healthcare, higher education, hospitality, manufacturing, laboratory, pharmaceutical, corporate, heavy civil and water conveyance. Additionally, Matt’s varied roles have enabled him to manage every phase of a project as an owner, contractor and designer. Matt is currently a Senior Instructor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering at the University of Colorado, Boulder. ### David Nguyen — Instructor David is the AEC Software Specialist at VDCI, with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management and an Associate’s degree of science in Drafting and General Design from ITT Technical Institute. A San Diego native with over 12 years working in the Design Industry and construction industry, David brings his construction and design expertise to help all students achieve their goals in the field. Outside of his professional life, David loves attending concerts, festivals, playing his guitar and restoring and repairing all types of vehicles. **Credentials:** - OSHA 30 hr. Construction Safety Certified - Construction Software: SketchUp, Bluebeam Revu, Autodesk Suite (AutoCAD, Fusion, REVIT) - Mechanical Software: PTC CREO Parametric, Solidworks, MasterCAM ### Matt F. — Instructor Matt F. is a well-rounded construction professional with a diverse background of construction industry experience. Matt has strong experience working on major commercial and residential construction projects, overseeing projects from pre-construction through to closeout. He also has a deep knowledge of the construction technology space, having hands-on experience with many of the major players in the construction technology landscape. Matt loves sharing his industry knowledge with others and continuing to learn about the newest trends in construction technology. ### Robert McElreavey — Instructor Robert McElreavey has been a master plumber since 2000 in the states of Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, with 40 years of experience in the construction industry. He began learning the trade in high school at a vocational technical school in Broomall, PA, working as an apprentice from age 16, passing his Journeyman's test at 21 to become a Jobsite Foreman, and focusing on the design and efficient construction of plumbing systems. He moved to Colorado in 1994 to expand his knowledge, building large commercial buildings and condominiums at ski resorts, and in 2004 ventured out as a plumbing contractor building plumbing, heating, and in-floor radiant systems for large custom homes. Robert has also dedicated much of his career to education, teaching plumbing, carpentry, and electrical to apprentices, high school students, and adult learners, working as a plumbing instructor and adjunct professor assisting students with concurrent community college enrollment. Over his career he has built over 75 large commercial buildings, completed over 200 single family homes, and set 15,000 plumbing fixtures in over 7,500 condominiums, and has worked in roles ranging from training management to plumbing service estimator for commercial and industrial clients. He now works as a consultant for a construction company, providing design and installation guidelines for contractors, and remains passionate about passing on what he has learned to help others achieve their goals in the plumbing field. **Credentials:** - Master Plumber (Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Vermont) - CTE License (Construction Technology Education) - HBI (Home Builders Institute) Certification - NCCER Certified Instructor (Colorado) ## Pricing **Tuition:** $579