You’ll need a high school diploma or equivalent. Training to enter the pipefitter or steamfitter trade is similar and requires a combination of classroom instruction and on-the-job training. Community colleges and trade schools offer training programs. At least 144 hours of courses are required in subjects such as drafting, mathematics, pipe system design, chemistry and physics. Some programs also offer welding, which may be a requirement for the next step. The most common path to this career is through apprenticeship offered by employers or local unions. Apprenticeship typically lasts four to five years, during which time the apprentice learns on the job, earns a paycheck, and also takes classes. (The required training typically is about 2,000 hours.) Classes include those mentioned above plus blueprint reading, safety and ASME codes, a set of standards established by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers that cover all aspects of mechanical engineering. This includes most of the equipment pipefitters and steamfitters use, such as boilers, heaters and pressure valves.