Plumber resume template
A clean starting structure with example content grounded in what plumbers actually do day to day, not generic filler. Download and replace the bracketed placeholders with your own details.
Which resume format should you use?
Reverse chronological
You have a steady work history. This is the format almost every recruiter and ATS expects by default.
Functional
You're changing fields or have gaps in your employment. Leads with skills rather than a job-by-job timeline.
Combination
You're early career or have worked consistently but for only a few employers. Blends a skills summary with a shorter chronological history.
This template uses the reverse chronological format: the one most plumbers should default to, since most Australian recruiters and ATS software expect it.
Professional summary
Licensed plumber with hands-on experience installing, maintaining and repairing water, gas and drainage systems across residential and commercial sites. Comfortable reading blueprints, diagnosing faults with camera and pressure equipment, and certifying finished work against Australian plumbing standards. Known for turning up prepared, working safely and getting jobs signed off without repeat visits.
Key skills
- Hand and power tool work
- Reading plans and specifications
- Installation and maintenance of water, gas and drainage systems
- Worksite safety management (WHS)
- Building codes and standards (AS/NZS 3500)
- CCTV drain inspection camera operation
- Pressure testing and fault diagnosis
- Pipe threading machine operation
- CAD blueprinting software
- Problem solving and attention to detail
Experience: example bullet points
- Installed and connected water supply pipes, fittings and fixtures to building specifications across new residential builds, passing council inspections without rework
- Diagnosed leaks and blockages using CCTV drain inspection cameras and pressure testing gauges, cutting down on repeat callouts for the same fault
- Repaired and replaced damaged pipes, valves, pumps and hot water systems for both scheduled maintenance and after-hours emergency jobs
- Read blueprints and calculated pipe sizing and layout for new construction projects, coordinating timing with builders, electricians and other trades on site
- Tested completed systems for pressure and leaks and certified compliance with AS/NZS 3500 plumbing standards before handover
Education
Certificate III in Plumbing completed through a apprenticeship (around four years), plus a current plumbing licence from the relevant state or territory regulator; many plumbers add gas fitting and drainage endorsements over time.
Keywords an ATS is likely to scan for
Applicant tracking systems match your resume against terms in the job ad before a person ever sees it. Only include the ones that actually apply to your experience, but if a term below matches something you've done, use the same wording the job ad uses.
- AS/NZS 3500
- plumbing licence
- gas fitting licence
- backflow prevention
- WHS compliance
- hot water system installation
- drainage and sewerage
- water supply reticulation
- blueprint and plan reading
- CCTV drain camera
- pressure testing
- council inspection sign-off
- builder and trade coordination
- confined space work
Getting past ATS screening
- Match the specific skills, certifications and terms used in the job ad, not just your own wording for the same thing.
- Keep formatting simple: no tables, text boxes, columns, headers/footers or graphics. Parsers frequently drop content placed in these.
- Submit as .docx or PDF unless the job ad specifies otherwise.
- Use standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills) rather than creative alternatives.
- List your core skills and technical competencies in their own section so a keyword scan can find them instantly.
This is a starting point, not a guarantee of interviews. Tailor every bullet point to your own real experience and the specific job ad.