Yes, our world continually changes – drastically and at a fast pace, we must say.

Companies that refuse to or just cannot keep up with the new trend lose in the competition. New ways of doing things are always introduced at a rapid speed and if you are a business that wants to survive, you need to change your strategies constantly to remain relevant and competent.

Remember how Nokia used to monopolize the mobile phone industry, creating various models in a  period of one year, each unit always smaller than the previous one? But now, we can hardly see a Nokia phone in the market. They were drowned by the innovation offered by young yet genius companies like Apple and Samsung that aggressively change according to what people are looking for.

Even Toys R Us, a toy business that has prevailed for as long as we can remember, filed for bankruptcy just this year. Reports point to the firm’s refusal to “go online,” which took a toll on its growth and dependability.

Over the years, we’ve seen not only companies but industries falling and failing because of the rise of new and more advanced industries. Regular taxi companies get threatened by the rise of Uber and Grab services for obvious reasons. This is what the power of change and technology brings.

Alarming as it sounds, there’s one industry in the whole world that does not seem to feel any pang of threat at all – the plumbing industry. In fact, no matter how many years pass by or how many changes the world goes through, the plumbing needs of people will just remain and even continue to rise.

Later on, we’ll discuss the reasons why this specific industry continues to thrive. Another question we’d like to address is why there seems to be a scarcity in the number of plumbers all around the world, when this industry is one that has stood the test of time and will continue to be stable in the decades to come. These questions will be answered as we examine closely why the demand for plumbers in Singapore continue to rise.

Plumbing jobs require specialized skills and training

Unlike computer troubleshooting or website design, you cannot enrol to an online course to be an expert in the plumbing business. Plumbing jobs indeed require specialized skills that can only be learned by actually getting your hands dirty in doing plumbing jobs physically.

You may find an online manual showing you how to replace a toilet seat, install a water heater, and fix a faucet. You can try to do these things for the first time, but the challenges involved in these tasks are not written on the internet. These jobs are too intricate that you cannot be an expert unless you’ve done these tasks many times in actual practice. That is the main difference of a plumbing task from all others.

To be able to accomplish these tasks perfectly and get paid by a customer is a different story altogether. You need to be equipped; to be trained; to do these things over and over; and to be willing to go through all these intricacies if you want to be called a professional plumber. Sadly, however, being a plumber is not a sought-after profession anywhere in the world. In our next point, we’ll discuss why the unattractive nature of this job results to scarcity of pros in this industry.

Plumbing is not a very attractive profession

Who graduates from college and says, “I dream to replace the toilet seats of others everyday!” Or, “It’s my mission to unclog sink drains as long as I live.” Not to demean the profession, but only a few people appreciate the relevance of plumbing tasks. Only a few people see these jobs as prestigious as those of an engineer, a doctor, or a lawyer.

But let’s give this industry and plumbers themselves the credit they deserve. You see, not everyone has a medical or a legal problem all the time, but all households have plumbing fixtures that wear out as time passes by. And to think, only a few people know how to solve even the simplest plumbing problems like fixing a water leakage or unclogging a sink drain. You can only rely on trained and experienced 24-hour plumber Singapore contractors to help you resolve these needs.

Sadly, however, only a few students and even fresh graduates look at this industry as their road map to success. Even those who want to start their own businesses would not think of venturing into the plumbing industry. They can’t be blamed though. Imagining bathroom and kitchen plumbing repair and installation tasks is not very encouraging at all.

It’s not hard to understand why most of us refuse to carry on tasks that involve digging toilet seats and removing dirty clogs in sink drains. But the reality is, you cannot be successful in this industry if you are not ready to get your hands dirty. And only those who are willing to look beyond the messy task succeed in this million-dollar plumbing business.

Lack of educational institutions teaching plumbing skill set

The next reason for the high demand for plumbers in Singapore is also the cause why only a few students understand the relevance of the plumbing industry.

We cannot even see educational institutions offering this as part of their curriculum. It may sound too strange to teach young students about how and when to replace water heaters. But why doesn’t it sound equally strange to teach us culinary arts?

Why does it seem more prestigious to know how to operate the oven than to install a faucet? Aren’t these two things equally common in a household? In fact, the latter requires more specified knowledge rather than the former. If this is so, then why is it too hard to incorporate a plumbing subject in school?

If that sounds too far-fetched, then why do we have only a few institutions teaching even a short course in plumbing? No online sites offering a crash course in plumbing repairs and installations? People need to be educated in this industry where demands will continually rise. If more instructors are willing to teach these things to students, then there would be widespread awareness of the industry’s importance.

Because of the little awareness about plumbing tasks and the demand for these jobs, there’s also very small to no interest in the plumbing industry.

Construction demand continues to rise

The Building and Construction Authority of Singapore forecasts a continually rising percentage of annual demand for actual construction, both in the public and private sectors. This percentage is expected to go up from 26.0 to 37.0 in the year 2021. Obviously, public and private construction projects involve, among others, plumbing installations.

How many bathrooms are there inside a hotel building, shopping mall, or a residential condominium building? Who are capable to install plumbing pipe networks or advanced water heaters in 5-star hotels? None other than recommended plumber Singapore contractors who have acquired specialized skills in this area. As long as there are construction projects going on, there will also be a demand for plumbing works.

In a country like Singapore with a growing number of population every year, construction and renovation projects will also continue. Train lines will be built year in year out. All of these projects require plumbing jobs in order to be accomplished.

The need for plumbing installations rise but the number of people interested in learning the skill set of plumbers decrease. Obviously, this will result to a higher and more aggressive demand for this specialized set of skills.

Plumbing maintenance needs will keep rising 

And what do we get when more plumbing fixtures are installed in these buildings and establishments? Naturally, there will be a consequential increase in the demand for plumbing maintenance jobs.

These plumbing fixtures are not designed to resist wear and tear for years. They need to be maintained and replaced in a timely manner. Plumbing inspections should be done in order to check the integrity of your pipes and other plumbing fixtures. Only reliable plumbers can tell you how to protect your home exterior from water damage.

The more your plumbing fixtures age, the more you need plumbing consultations, inspections, and maintenance jobs. With the rising number of buildings, public and private, being constructed as the years go by, more and more plumbing networks and fixtures inside and underneath these also need the specialized skills of plumbers to keep them well-maintained and functioning. And the truth is, this need for plumbers is indispensable in any establishment.

At the end of the day, the demand of plumbers in Singapore can only be addressed if there will be an increase in the number of people who are willing to step inside the dirty but relevant world of plumbing installations, repairs, and maintenance. Both the educational, government, and private sectors must move hand in hand to respond to this countrywide need as the Asian Tiger continues to develop every year.