A plasterer is a person who has been trained to mix and apply plaster onto a wall or surface, ensuring that a smooth finish is achieved, which then allows for decoration to be carried out. A good plasterer will be able to carry out a range of jobs, from buildings undergoing major refurbishment to homes that may only require some touch-up work. Plasterers can also carry out work on exterior walls and on floors.
Plasterers should be physically fit and able to work carefully, as precision and stamina is required for this trade. Numeracy skills are also a requirement, as there is an element of calculating surface areas and measuring building materials involved. There is said to be at least 40,000 plasterers working in the United Kingdom alone and they are usually self employed, or employed by major plastering companies or local councils and building contractors.
To become a plasterer there are courses in plastering that need to be taken. To get on such plastering courses, no set requirements in GCSE's are required, however, any grade above a C in Maths and English would be beneficial. A lot of colleges offer plastering training on a full or part time basis. Plasterers can also be employed as an apprentice and can then work their way up to a supervisory role or management position, depending on what your goals are. Many qualified plasterers have set up their own businesses and worked as subcontractors and also employing other fellow plasterers to work for them.
Plastering courses usually take approximately three years to complete, for which you gain a plastering NVQ. If you are looking for courses in plastering, then here at Plastering Training North East, we may just have what you are looking for, to help you develop and offer you help and advice.