When you walk into Mid-Del Tech’s plumbing lab, you’ll see more than pipes and fittings—you’ll see the future of Oklahoma’s plumbing industry taking shape. Since joining Mid-Del Tech in 2020, Plumbing Instructor Scott Ringwald has built a program that’s as innovative as it is impactful.
A second-generation plumber with 18 years of industry experience, Scott combines real-world know-how with a teacher’s heart. He holds an Oklahoma Plumbing Contractor’s License and serves on several state plumbing boards, helping shape standards and licensing requirements across the industry.
Scott’s classroom is a hands-on environment where students learn by doing—from constructing full bathroom systems to tackling “the sand pit,” an outdoor area designed to mimic new-construction conditions. His students graduate workforce-ready, earning credentials like OSHA 30, Confined Spaces, and their Plumbing Apprentice Registration, which gives them a head start toward journeyman status.
Scott’s partnerships with companies such as Central Oklahoma Winnelson, Locke Supply, Gordon’s Service Experts, and AirCo ensure students have real-world experience and the tools to succeed—literally. Each graduate receives a professional plumbing tool set and industry codebooks valued at more than $2,000.
Beyond technical training, Scott emphasizes giving back. His students volunteer through Plumbers Against Hunger, packing thousands of meals for children in need and helping homeowners with essential plumbing repairs.
Former student Cavin Pugh now works full-time as a plumbing apprentice, but he still calls his former instructor. He says, “Mr. Ringwald always picks up the phone. He’s not just a teacher—he’s a mentor who believes in his students. His passion for the craft and for people changed my life.”
Starting this spring, Scott will expand his impact by offering a short-term Plumbing 1 course for adults interested in learning the trade or starting a new career path.
At Mid-Del Tech, instructors like Scott Ringwald prove every day that skilled trades change lives—one pipe, one project, and one student at a time.