UA Local 286 Training Director Joseph Cooper with, from left, daughter Amber, wife, Montana, and daughter Vanessa at his 25-year ceremony in March 2020. PHOTO COURTESY OF JOE COOPER
PHOTO BY BEN RYAN
Joe Cooper’s path to success in the plumbing industry was a meandering one. After being in and out of several colleges and working various jobs, he found a home in the trades, building a career as a plumber, business owner, superintendent and eventually training director of UA Local 286 in Austin, Texas.
His introduction to the trades was rooted in family tradition. His father was a 42-year member of Local 286, and his younger brother, Tracy, entered the apprenticeship program straight out of high school. Joe, meanwhile, studied business administration at the University of Texas for about a year and a half, followed by stops at such institutions as Austin Community College.
In a story Cooper shares with potential recruits, he recalls getting the final nudge he needed one Friday evening when he and his brother were preparing to head out. At the time, he was working as a food and beverage director.
“Both our paychecks were on the kitchen table, and I looked at them and said, ‘Hey, ditch digger — I make the same money as you and I wear a suit and tie to work.’ And he asked me, ‘Hey, how many weeks is your check?’ I said, ‘My check’s for two weeks.’ He said, ‘Mine’s for one.’”
(From the top) The ASSE International Board of Directors. Top row, from left: Kevin McDonough, Gregory Beck, Doreen Cannon, Brianne N. Hall, DJ Berger, Joseph Cooper. Bottom row, from left: Douglas Marian, Daniel Rademacher, Vincent Gallo IV, Chris Cheek, Thomas Lentine. Not pictured: Brian Andersen and Vince Kacaba.
PHOTO BY BEN RYAN
Right: Labor Commissioner Alberto Treviño III presents Cooper with a proclamation for apprenticeship from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott at a Texas Workforce Commission conference. Cooper served on a panel addressing the subject, “Pathways and Partnerships for a Skilled Workforce.” PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOE COOPER
Although his career in the trades started later than most, it quickly gained momentum. After completing his apprenticeship, he worked as a journeyman plumber from 1996 until opening his own union contracting company, Cooper Plumbing, Inc., in 2003. However, the economic downturn of 2008 forced him to eventually close the business, and in 2010 he went to work as a field superintendent for Dynamic Systems, Inc.
In 2013, Cooper transitioned to his current role as the training director for UA Local 286, motivated by a desire to share his knowledge and experience with others in the industry. Having already spent about a dozen years teaching, stepping into the role was a natural progression for him.
“I wanted to give back,” he said. “I took five years, so I wanted to give five years back. And here we are 24 years later — I’m still giving back,” he said.
Cooper’s passion for teaching is evident in his dedication to mentoring apprentices. He finds deep satisfaction in helping apprentices grow from novices to skilled professionals who can provide for their families.
“You think back to the people who took time to show you something, and now you want to do the same,” he said.
Despite the challenges of working with a new generation of students who have grown up in the city and bring little to no experience tinkering with anything plumbing or mechanical related — yet often fact-check him mid-lesson — Cooper said he admires their adaptability.
“These kids come in and they can’t read a tape measure,” he said. “And at the end of five years, they can provide for themselves and their family. It’s great.”
His efforts have helped UA Local 286 grow to 219 first-year apprentices this year, and more than 500 overall in the program.
UA Local 286 also hosts a welding contest in Travis County for local high school students, aiming to connect them with the trades early.
“You start that connection when they’re 16 years old. We had a girl who couldn’t even reach the welding machine because it was so high up. She went to Tradeswomen Build Nations the other day with Laura Ceja. “There’s a picture of me holding her baby. It’s pretty neat stuff.”
Cooper joined IAPMO in 2013 during a local code fight in Austin, which ultimately decided to keep abiding by IAPMO’s Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC®). He had met then-IAPMO Regional Manager John Mata years before, and Mata ultimately nominated him for the UPC Answers and Analysis Committee, on which Cooper still sits. He has also enlisted help from IAPMO Executive Vice President of Field Services DJ Nunez as an instructor.
“IAPMO is quite the resource,” he said. “If I don’t know the answer to a question, I can reach out to somebody who does and get the information I need.
“They keep us abreast of everything that’s going on in the industry, and that’s one thing that’s pretty neat about plumbing is it changes; it’s not a stagnant thing,” he said. “It’s constantly changing — all the new, different products that are out there, the different installation methods.”
He credits IAPMO’s forward-thinking approach — such as its stance on waterless urinals and air admittance valves — with helping industry professionals adapt to ever-changing demands.
“The fact that IAPMO lets industry professionals in the room is awesome,” he said. “These are the folks who are doing it and they’re going to know what’s going on.”
He is an ASSE International board member and president of the ASSE Central Texas Chapter, which he helped start.
Cooper’s other professional involvement includes teaching in the UA’s Instructor Training Program and serving on the Apprenticeship Training and Advisory Committee of Texas and the Mechanical and Plumbing Board for the city of Austin.
Cooper and his wife, Montana, have two daughters: Vanessa, who is studying neuroscience at New York University, and Amber, who is pursuing architecture at Texas A&M.
“They get that from their mom,” he said with a grin. “I’m just a turn-wrenches-type guy.”
In his free time, Cooper enjoys playing golf and tackling the ever-growing “honey-do” list from his wife.
Cooper, who will receive his 30-year pin from the UA in March, encourages anyone who likes working with their hands and being outside to consider the trades.
“The fact that at the end of the day, you’ve built something and there’s a product standing here that someone else can use that will help make someone’s like better,” he said.
His journey also serves as a reminder that it’s never too late to start.
“I have guys come in here in their 50s thinking they’re too old, and I tell them, ‘No, you’re not,’” he said. Cooper continues to practice what he preaches — he earned his bachelor’s degree from Rowan University at the age of 54.
“Better late than never,” he quipped, adding, “I was pacing myself.”
Mike Flenniken is a staff writer, Marketing and Communications, for IAPMO. Prior to joining IAPMO in 2010, Flenniken worked in public relations for a group of Southern California hospitals and as a journalist in writing and editing capacities for various Southern California daily newspapers.
Last modified: February 5, 2025