The Big Take

Young People Don’t Want to Be Plumbers. That’s a Problem for US Infrastructure

The US has a plumber shortage. That’s a problem for the green energy transition — and US infrastructure.

Instructor Allen Jones instructs students Hugo Nufil Santos, left, and Jean Bosco Nshimiyimana, right, on pipes during a course on plumbing at the Clauson Center for Innovation and Skilled Trades at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, Md. on February 16, 2024.Photographer: Gabriella Demczuk

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By Alexander Sugiura, Thomas Lu, and Sarah Holder

March 15, 2024 at 8:21 PM UTC

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The US has a plumber shortage. And as more and more baby boomer plumbers reach retirement, there aren’t enough young people coming in to fill the gap.