Plumbing

     Plumbing Technology is a two-year course offering students the skills, knowledge, and hands-on competencies related to basic plumbing. Areas of study include plumbing systems and materials, pipes and fittings, tools, and the use of plumbing codes. 

Instructor Joseph Gutshall

     Mr. Gutshall combines a lifetime of experiences in education and the construction trades industry. He emphasizes that his students acquire soft skills along with a base knowledge of plumbing and pipefitting skills to become employable workers. This gives them a foundation for a career in the highly sought after trades of plumbing and pipefitting.

     After graduation from college, Mr. Gutshall shifted to working in the construction industry when he was unable to secure a teaching position. He moved to Richmond, Virginia where he worked his way up t0 Project Manager for Parker Lancaster Corporation. He then made the move to Kinston, North Carolina with Richmond Homes and Land Development Corporation, also as a project manager. He then decided that he wanted to come back to West Virginia with his wife Stella and two young boys. It was his desire to raise his boys in the state he felt was his home. Mr. Gutshall started his small residential and light commercial construction company at that time. He worked this small construction business for eighteen years before deciding to return to teaching.

     In the fall of 2012, Mr. Gutshall acquired a job at Collins Middle School teaching Physical Education and Health. When the opportunity presented itself to teach Plumbing and Pipefitting at the Fayette Institute of Technology, he made another career move. Years of his life experiences in the trades and his educational background make Mr. Gutshall a great fit at FIT.

Education & Experience:

  • B.S. in Physical Education, Liberty University 
  • M.S. in Health Education, West Virginia University
  • WV Residential Contractor’s License
  • WV General Contractor’s License
  • WV Masters Plumber’s License  

Courses

Plumbing I, II, III, & IV

Plumbing Fixtures

Cast Iron Piping

Drain, Waste, & Vent Systems

Gas Piping

  • Students who receive a 1080-Hour Certificate are eligible to take the WV State Exam for an Apprentice Plumber’s License and a Plumbing Contractor’s License.

Hands-On Learning

Program Certifications

1080-Hour Certificate

OSHA 10-Hour General Industry Certification

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