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- Skilled work applying plaster finishes to walls or creating decorative plasterwork
- This work can be in high demand, so if you're self-employed you will be able to negotiate rates
- You may need to work at heights
As a plasterer, you'll do repairs and restoration work on houses and on large commercial developments like schools, hospitals and hotels. You'll usually work for a specialist plastering firm, building contractor or local authority.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Solid plastering (applying wet finishes to surfaces and putting protective coverings like pebble-dash on outside walls)
- Fibrous plastering (creating ornamental plasterwork like ceiling roses, cornices and architraves)
- Dry lining (fixing internal plasterboard or wallboard partitions)
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You could work on a construction site, at a client's home, or in a commercial building, and your working environment may be at height. You'll usually work in a team.
You'll need
To be a plasterer, you'll need thoroughness and attention to detail, knowledge of building and construction, patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations, the ability to work well with others, good initiative, business management skills, the ability to work well with your hands, to accept criticism and work well under pressure.
You can get this as a plasterer's assistant ('mate') and train on the job. You may not need formal qualifications, but some employers might look for on-site experience.
You could do a college course in plastering.
You'll need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card to work on a construction site.
You could get into this job through an advanced apprenticeship in plastering. You'll do on the job training and spend time with a college or training provider.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could progress to supervisory jobs or move into related areas like tiling, estimating and site management. You could also become self-employed and work as a sub-contractor.