Associated Master Plumbers of Allegheny County

What Associated Master Plumbers of Allegheny County does

Associated Master Plumbers of Allegheny County (AMPAC), operating as a DBA since 1966, is a private, membership-based non-profit trade association headquartered at 3128 Allendale Street, Pittsburgh, PA. It functions as the primary registered apprenticeship training facility for plumbing professionals seeking Allegheny County Health Department licensure in Western Pennsylvania, delivering a 4-year apprenticeship program structured as two semesters per year of combined classroom instruction and on-the-job training. Apprentices must be at least 18 years of age and remain employed/sponsored by a Master Plumber for the duration of the program, with semester fees paid by the employer/sponsor per Act 24 P.S. 6502 and 22 Pa. Code 73.42.

Its product portfolio extends beyond the core apprenticeship to a suite of continuing education and certification courses: a 40-hour Backflow Certification, a one-day Backflow Re-certification ($340 per participant), a 21-hour Master Plumber refresher, and 21-hour makeup courses for Journeymen and Apprentices. All coursework is aligned with ACHD Article XV plumbing code. The organization operates a TradeSchool-branded online portal (tradeschoolinc.com) for student registration, account creation, payments, and progress tracking, and runs annual community events including the Journeyman and Master Plumber's Presentation Banquet and the AMPAC Apprenticeship Golf Outing (now in its third year).

The business model is fee-for-service: apprenticeship semester fees (employer-paid), individual continuing education/certification course fees, and event sponsorship revenue (Gold $2,000, Silver $1,000, Hole Sponsor $100, individual $150 / foursome $600). Customer segments include aspiring apprentices, licensed Journeyman/Master plumbers seeking continuing education, and the master plumber firms that sponsor and employ apprentices. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and the organization is not investor-backed, operating under the control of its member master plumbers with no disclosed parent company, M&A activity, or external funding.

Name

Associated Master Plumbers of Allegheny County

Legal name

Associated Master Plumbers of Allegheny County

Website

https://ampacplumber.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Short description

AMPAC is a Pittsburgh-based non-profit trade association, founded in 1966, providing the registered 4-year plumbing apprenticeship program, backflow certification, and continuing education courses for Western Pennsylvania plumbers pursuing Allegheny County licensure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Apprenticeship and Vocational Education

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

akta.pro primary industry

Plumbing (Residential & Commercial) (EDAOACAA)

Keywords

• Plumbing apprenticeship training
• Trade education programs
• Backflow certification courses
• Continuing professional education
• Plumber licensing preparation

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Apprenticeship Program Fees: Apprenticeship program semesters are paid by employer/sponsor. The 4-year program requires specific class hours and work hours per semester. Semester payment must be made to guarantee enrollment.
2. Backflow Certification and Recertification: 40-hour Backflow certification course and One Day Backflow Re-certification Course. Backflow Recert Class priced at $340 per participant.
3. Continuing Education Courses: 21-hour Master Plumber refresher course, 21-hour makeup Journeyman course, and 21-hour makeup Apprentice course for existing professionals needing continuing education or makeup credits.
4. Golf Outing and Events: Annual golf outing with sponsorship tiers (Gold $2,000, Silver $1,000, Hole Sponsor $100) and individual player fees ($150/person or $600/foursome). Events include banquets for journeyman and master plumbers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AMPAC operates a 4-year registered plumbing apprenticeship program combining classroom instruction with on-the-job training hours, paid by employer/sponsor per Pennsylvania Act 24. It also delivers continuing education offerings including a 40-hour backflow certification course, a one-day backflow recertification course, and 21-hour refresher and makeup courses for Master Plumbers, Journeymen, and Apprentices aligned with Allegheny County Health Department Article XV plumbing code.

Product overview

AMPAC offers a unified training platform for the plumbing industry in Western Pennsylvania. The core offering is the Plumbing Apprenticeship Program, a 4-year accredited program for aspiring plumbers. Supporting this are specialized certification courses including the 40-Hour Backflow Certification Course and One Day Backflow Re-certification Course for backflow prevention professionals. For continuing education, AMPAC provides 21-hour refresher and makeup courses for Master Plumbers, Journeymen, and Apprentices. The organization also hosts annual events including the Journeyman and Master Plumber's Presentation Banquet and the AMPAC Apprenticeship Golf Outing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Allegheny County Plumbing Apprenticeship Program
• 40-Hour Backflow Certification Course
• One Day Backflow Re-certification Course
• 21-Hour Master Plumber Refresher Course
• 21-Hour Journeyman Makeup Course
• 21-Hour Apprentice Makeup Course
• AMPAC Apprenticeship Golf Outing

Segments3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pittsburgh Plumbers JATC: Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee serving Pittsburgh-area plumbing apprentices; the union counterpart to AMPAC, delivering a parallel 4-year plumbing apprenticeship with classroom and on-the-job training to the same employer pool.
• UA Local 27 Plumbers & Pipefitters: United Association local in Western Pennsylvania that runs its own plumbing and pipefitting apprenticeship and journeyman upgrade programs, competing directly with AMPAC for apprentices and master plumber sponsors in the same geography.
• Associated Builders and Contractors - Western PA Chapter: Regional trade association offering registered apprenticeship programs across multiple construction trades including plumbing; competes with AMPAC for sponsor-employer relationships and apprentice enrollment in the Western PA market.
• PHCC of Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania chapter of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association, offering apprenticeship support, code training, and continuing education to plumbing contractors statewide with overlapping membership and educational offerings.

Emerging players

• Williamson College of the Trades: Pennsylvania-based trade college offering multi-year plumbing and HVAC training programs to a residential student body; serves a different student persona but competes for the same pool of young people considering a plumbing career in the state.

Regional players

• Finishing Trades Institute of Western PA: Regional joint apprenticeship training committee for finishing trades (glaziers, painters, floor coverers) operating in Western PA; comparable union-affiliated apprenticeship delivery model though focused on adjacent trades.
• Steamfitters Local 449: UA-affiliated local in Western Pennsylvania running its own registered apprenticeship program for pipefitting/HVAC trades; competes with AMPAC for apprentices and employer sponsors in the broader mechanical trades pipeline.
• IBEW Local 5 JATC: Pittsburgh-area IBEW apprenticeship program offering a parallel 4-year registered apprenticeship model in the electrical trade; illustrates the broader regional apprenticeship ecosystem that competes for young trades-oriented applicants.

Broad incumbents

• National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER): National non-profit that standardizes construction and plumbing craft curricula and credentials used across the U.S.; AMPAC-aligned sponsors could adopt NCCER-style delivery at scale, representing a long-term competitive pressure on regional providers.
• Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors National Association (PHCC): National trade association for plumbing contractors offering apprenticeship resources, code books, and education; competes indirectly with AMPAC by supporting contractor-led training and national plumbing education initiatives.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ampacplumber
• Facebookfacebook.com/AMPACplumber

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Associated Master Plumbers of Allegheny County