← Certificate III qualifications
Certificate III in Roof Plumbing
CPC - Construction, Plumbing and Services
Apprenticeship outcome for roof plumbing. Covers stormwater, gutters, downpipes and metal roof installation.
Entry requirements
- Signed apprenticeship contract
- White Card
What you will learn
The CPC32612 covers roof plumbing across residential and commercial buildings. Core units include installing metal roof cladding, flashings, gutters, downpipes and rainwater tanks, plus stormwater drainage to the legal point of discharge. You learn to read roof plans, set out fall and pitch, fabricate flashings on site, and work safely at height under the Working at Heights regulations. The qualification aligns with the Plumbing Code of Australia and AS/NZS 3500.3 stormwater drainage standard. After the four-year apprenticeship you sit your state roof plumbing licensing exams to register as a licensed roof plumber.
Skills you build
- Setting out roof falls and stormwater systems
- Fabricating flashings and box gutters on site
- Installing metal roof sheets and capping
- Working safely at height with harnesses and edge protection
- Installing rainwater tanks and pumps
- Calculating gutter and downpipe sizing to AS/NZS 3500.3
- Working from architectural and engineering drawings
How the course runs
Most apprentices attend TAFE in one-week blocks each term or one day per week. Around 600 hours of TAFE contact over the four years is typical. The classroom split runs roughly 40 percent theory and 60 percent practical workshop time. Day-to-day on-job work is fully hands-on under a licensed roof plumber. After completion you sit state roof plumbing licensing exams.
How you will be assessed
- Practical demonstrations in TAFE workshops
- Written knowledge tests per unit of competency
- Third-party reports from your supervising roof plumber
- Photo evidence and on-job log book
- State roof plumbing licensing exam after course completion
Workplace and placement
The apprenticeship is a paid workplace contract under the Australian Apprenticeships framework. You sign a Training Contract with a licensed roof plumbing or general plumbing business. Apprentice wages are set under the Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award and rise each year. Working at Heights training and fall-arrest equipment are mandatory before any rooftop work begins.
Typical employers
- Residential builders on new estates
- Commercial roof plumbing contractors on warehouses and factories
- Storm damage repair and insurance contractors
- Rural and acreage rainwater tank installers
- Local council building and asset maintenance teams
- Metal roofing manufacturers and installers
Pay after this qualification
$70,000 - $92,000 per year
Source: https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/explore-careers/occupation/plumbers. Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
Is this the right course for you?
You probably thrive here if
- You are comfortable working at height with harnesses
- You can solve geometry problems on the fly
- You handle hot summer days on steel roofs
- You can fabricate to tight tolerances with hand tools
- You can manage your own ute and tools
It is probably not for you if
- You have any fear of heights or balance issues
- You cannot commit to four years of apprentice pay
- You have a back, knee or shoulder condition
- You cannot work in direct sun for hours at a time
After you finish
After completing the apprenticeship you can pursue a Certificate IV in Plumbing and Services (CPC40920) for advanced supervision work or add endorsements in solar hot water, gas fitting or thermostatic mixing valves. Many roof plumbers cross-skill into the broader CPC32420 Certificate III in Plumbing. Diploma of Building and Construction (CPC50220) and Bachelor of Construction Management programs accept the Cert III as partial credit toward supervision and project-management roles.