Plastering is an essential part of the construction trade in the UK and whenever there is demand for construction work, there is always demand for well trained and qualified plasterers.
Whether you are a school leaver looking to start your career, or already have employment experience and are looking to retrain in a new skill, a plastering course is a great way to get a qualification under your belt which can offer solid yet flexible work opportunities with a very attractive salary to boot.
In the modern building and construction trade, having the necessary skills is unfortunately not enough. Unless you are an experienced plasterer with a good reputation then you’ll need the necessary qualifications to prove to potential employers that you have the necessary plastering skills. Luckily plastering courses are widely available across the country and generally offer solid training with a consistent set of plastering qualifications which are recognised throughout the construction industry.
As with many other trades in the UK, there are two main levels of qualifications which you’ll need to consider when looking at your training options. The first one to look at is the City & Guilds Plastering Course.
This is the standard plastering course which is industry recognised and shows to any potential employers that you have the required level of skill and competence as a plasterer. The City & Guilds Plastering Course is widely available and any town or city with a college of trade school will offer the course. Before enrolling you should make sure that the course provider is City & Guilds accredited and if you are having trouble finding a course in your area you can contact City & Guilds directly who will be happy to help you out finding the closest course to you.
The course itself offers training from scratch so if you have no plastering experience then this course is a great way to get your skill levels up to professional standards. With this course completed you will receive your City & Guilds Plastering certificate and will be able to apply for plastering jobs or work as an apprentice to gain experience.
To become a fully qualified plasterer in your own right, allowing you the freedom to be self-employed and work for yourself, there is a further level of training after City & Guilds. The NVQ Diploma in Plastering is what you need to become a recognised qualified plasterer.
Your NVQ assessments are practical examinations which take place on site so ideally you need to be working as a plasterer to be assessed (this is why the City & Guilds Plastering Course is a good first step).
Throughout the course you will meet with your NVQ assessor and discuss your current skill level and a plan to improve in areas to get you up to NVQ standards. Rather than being a stressful test or exam, your NVQ assessment can move at it’s own pace with you receiving your NVQ Diploma when the assessor is satisfied that you have the necessary level of knowledge and understanding across all the units in the plastering course.
Upon completion you will be a fully qualified plasterer and be in a great position to apply for work or start out in your career as a self-employed plasterer!