Train To Become A Plasterer

A close up of a person plastering a wall

Train To Become A Plasterer

If you are thinking about working in the construction industry, there are a number of trades and professions that you could train in. It’s down to you to decide where your strengths lie and what you think might interest you as a career.

The construction industry employs over 3 million people in the UK and one of the trades within the industry is plasterer jobs. If you think you would like to train to become a plasterer, then you might consider Apprenticeships for plastering.

What Do Plasterers Do?
How Do Plasterer Apprenticeships Work?
How Long To Become A Plasterer?
Qualifications And Pathways
Core Knowledge Requirements
Core Skills Requirements
Solid Plastering
Fibrous Plastering
Further Career Progression
Apply For Plasterer Apprenticeship In The UK

What Do Plasterers Do?

So, what is the role of a plasterer? What do plasterers do when they are doing their job each day? Well, all that depends on the company you work for or the type of environment they are working in. Plasterer jobs can see you working both indoors and outdoors and in a variety of places.

Plasterers are a core part of any construction team, especially in the housing sector. As a trainee plasterer, you will learn different techniques for plastering and cementing interior and exterior walls. You could be part of a building project where new housing estates are being built or you might be part of a refurbishment team, upgrading people’s homes.

Other types of plasterer jobs can see you working on public buildings such as schools and hospitals or you could be working on commercial buildings such as shopping centres. As a trainee plasterer, you will usually work under supervision at the beginning but once you become a plasterer with experience, you could be working without supervision either alone or as part of a team, depending on the size of the project.

How Do Plasterer Apprenticeships Work?

If you have been thinking about how to become a plasterer, one really effective route into the trade is by doing Plasterer Apprenticeships. Apprenticeships for plastering are good because you get to earn while you learn. Rather than doing a plasterer course, you can get yourself Plasterer Apprenticeship jobs and learn on the job whilst working towards nationally recognised plastering qualifications.

For some Plasterer Apprenticeships, there could also be some classroom based learning where you learn specific skills and gain a more in depth knowledge of plastering techniques.

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How Long To Become A Plasterer?

If, for you, an Apprenticeship is the best way to become a plasterer, how long will it take you to achieve your plastering qualification? If you choose to do both Level 2 and Level 3 Apprenticeships for plastering, depending on whether you have previous experience, both levels will take just over three years to complete, combined.

During your Plasterer Apprenticeships, depending on your employer, you will have different experiences to others doing the Apprenticeship. But the main thing to remember is you will still complete your Apprenticeship with exactly the same nationally recognised plastering qualifications as others who do the Apprenticeship. This means, when you come to apply for other plasterer jobs in the future, employers, building project managers and customers will know that your are equipped with the skills for the job.

Plasterers need to work with skill to create smooth surfaces and decorative patterns on walls and ceilings, both indoors and outdoors. Plasterers also create ornamental work such as ceiling roses, columns and coving.

Apprenticeships for plastering will equip you with the necessary skills for carrying out your role whilst also teaching you about different types of plaster and its uses and also communication skills so that you can deal with clients professionally.

Qualifications And Pathways

Plasterer Apprenticeships currently have two levels; Level 2 and Level 3.

Plasterer Apprenticeships - Level 2

The Level 2 Plasterer Apprenticeships will take you 2 years to complete.
If you haven’t already achieved it, you must achieve Level 1 English and Maths before getting your NVQ Level 2 plastering qualification.

Plasterer Apprenticeships - Level 3

The Level 3 Apprenticeships for plastering will take around 13 months to complete.
You must have already achieved the NVQ Level 2 qualification before doing Level 3.
If you haven’t already achieved it, you must achieve Level 2 Maths and English before getting your NVQ Level 3 plastering qualification.

After completing Apprenticeships for plastering you will have satisfied the requirements to obtain a CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) Card. You will also be entitled to join the Federation of Master Builders CPD (Continuous Professional Development) Scheme for individual tradespeople.

All Apprenticeships, whatever trade or profession you are looking to build a career in, have Core Skills and Knowledge related to your subject. Plasterer Apprenticeships are no different.

Core Knowledge Requirements

Whilst you train to become a plasterer, during your Apprenticeship, you will learn:

Health and Safety - Current regulations and legislation.
Customer Service - Listening to customer requests and also respecting the environment you are working in.
Communication - You will learn how to adapt your communication style depending on who you are dealing with.
Buildings - Different ways of working and different materials are required for buildings of different eras.
Materials - Storing and handling different types of materials for buildings of different types and eras.
Considerations Before Plastering Work - For example, do you need to do fire proofing before carrying out your plastering work.
Dry Lining - Materials, methods and finishes.

Core Skills Requirements

Materials - Knowing how much material you will need to complete the work.
Safe Working - Apply safe working practices.
Working Environment - Interpret and use drawings. Keep and clean and safe work area.
Fixing And Jointing Plasterboard - Using hand applied and machine applied systems.
Plastering - Internal surfaces.
In-situ Moulds - Matching existing mould designs.
Running Moulds - Construct positive and negative running moulds.
Repairing Existing Plaster - Renovating and restoring old plaster work to its original state both indoors and outdoors.
Install Cast Mouldings - Installing corniced mouldings.

If the list above doesn’t mean much to you right now then don’t worry. You will be learning all this and more during Apprenticeships for plastering. That’s what your training is all about.

As well as the core learning you will learn during trainee plasterer jobs, Apprenticeships for plastering have a choice of two pathways. This is where you will choose which area of plastering to specialise in. The Plasterer Apprenticeship Standard pathways are Solid Plastering and Fibrous Plastering.

Solid Plastering

If you choose to specialise in solid plastering during Plasterer Apprenticeships, you will learn:

Plastering: Applying plaster in various ways including heritage techniques and finishes and also machine applied plaster. You will also learn about chemical damp proof injection.
Rendering: You will learn how to use different colours and also how to do moulding work in sand and cement.
Ancillary Works: You will learn how to fix beads and trims and use additives.

Fibrous Plastering

If you choose the fibrous plastering pathway in your Plasterer Apprenticeships, you will learn:

Reverse Moulds: Producing reverse moulds for cornices, columns, arches and ceiling centres.
Casting: Cast from reverse moulds in fibrous plaster and glass fibre reinforced cement.
Fixing Cast Mouldings: How to install cast mouldings suc as cornices.
Restoration Of Existing Mouldings: Using plaster, clay and silicone rubber to reproduce existing mouldings and restore to match the original.

Throughout Apprenticeships for plastering, you will learn how to be quality focussed and you will also take charge of your own learning to become a successful plasterer. Plasterer jobs often involve working to deadlines so you will need to be able to work accurately and professionally under pressure whilst also being aware of your limitations whilst you are completing your training.

Plasterers need to communicate with a whole variety of people so you will develop the skills needed to deal with clients, architects, contract managers, suppliers and members of the public.

Further Career Progression After Plasterer Apprenticeships

Once you have successfully completed Plasterer Apprenticeships, you can choose how to develop your career so that you can boost your plasterer salary.

If you have the entrepreneurial spirit, you could choose to go self-employed and do contract plasterer jobs. This should give you lots of variety as your projects will differ each time. Good plasters are in high demand so your plasterer salary could grow quite quickly if you build a good reputation for yourself.

Some of you might choose to further your professional development and do other plasterer courses where you can learn more about your specialist area. This could be heritage work, for example.

If you want to encourage others to get into the plastering trade, you could also go into teaching and teach others how to become a plasterer.

Apply For Plasterer Apprenticeships In The UK

Working in construction means your skills are going to be in high demand and if you choose to become a plasterer, you will be part of a team of people who could find themselves with a whole host of work opportunities.

Plasterer Apprenticeships mean you will be equipped with the skills to begin your journey on the plastering career ladder. So, whether you are already doing plasterer jobs and you are looking to gain some formal qualifications, or you are just starting out, why not apply for Apprenticeships for plastering and earn while you learn.

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Train To Become A Plasterer