A new plumbing apprenticeship program recently launched at Utah State University Eastern, offering hands-on education to students from Price south to Blanding.
This four-year apprenticeship program offers hybrid learning options to serve more people across rural Utah. The students will work during their time in school to gain important job skills while earning money through their U.S. Department of Labor-registered apprenticeships.
Thomas Hicken leads this new program, bringing with him 16 years of plumbing education experience.
Hicken originally planned to become a teacher until his neighbor offered him a job in plumbing. He enjoyed the hands-on nature of the work and decided to pursue his journeyman’s license, keeping his love of teaching in the back of his mind. This role is the perfect blending of his passion for education and his technical plumbing skills.
When Hicken was training to become a plumber, he noticed that much of plumbing education was self-guided. He recognized that very few licensed plumbers had the teaching skillset that future plumbers needed to learn. He decided to fill that void and transform plumbing education for the better. He applied to work at Bridgerland Technical College and started teaching there in 2008.
“I was determined that my students’ experience would be better than what I had,” he said.
Hicken has worked hard to build resources, create lab activities and enhance the overall experience of becoming a plumber. He even started a YouTube channel, Plumber-Tom, aimed at both future plumbers pursuing their journeyman license and regular people looking to do some DIY plumbing.
In his new role, Hicken will also host classes for plumbers in the area who need continuing education credits to keep their licenses active. He hopes to build relationships and connect students with local tradespeople who need apprentices.
“We are excited to offer this plumbing apprenticeship program in southeastern Utah,” said Brian Warnick, head of the Department of Technology, Design and Technical Education in USU’s College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences. “There is a critical shortage of skilled tradespeople, and this program will help address that gap while providing participants with the opportunity to earn a good living. We are pleased with the skills and experience Thomas Hicken brings to the program.”
In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Hicken will continue to work part-time as a plumber.
“One of my goals is to remain grounded in the trade,” he said. “I feel like it’s really important for me, partly to connect with my students and show that I do this work every week. It also helps keep me up to date on the trade as it evolves with different products, methods and tools.”
Hicken highlighted the growing need for plumbers nationwide, with many current plumbers nearing retirement age. He also mentioned that USU offers business and entrepreneurship classes and degrees, which could appeal to future plumbers who hope to run their own plumbing business someday.
“This is a profession that is always needed,” Hicken said. “Whether it’s a pandemic, a natural disaster, or just day-to-day life, plumbers are essential. There will always be pipes that leak, water heaters that need replacing and drains that need clearing. If you’re a plumber, you will always be needed, and you can take that anywhere and live wherever you want.”
More information about this program can be found on the USU website. For questions or information about registering, contact Kim Mortensen at (435) 613-5462 or [email protected].
