T Levels focus on vocational skills and can help students into skilled employment, higher study or apprenticeships. Each T Level includes an in-depth industry placement that lasts at least 45 days. Students get valuable experience in the workplace; employers get early sight of the new talent in their industry.
This occupation is found in both the new build and refurbishment construction sector which is the driving force behind the UK economy, employing three million people and contributing 6.4% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Not only that, the construction industry is central to delivering the homes, schools, hospitals, energy and transport infrastructure our society demands. A career in the construction industry is like no other. Plastering is a core function within the construction sector, particularly the house building sector and refurbishment sectors. The Government has a target to build significantly more new homes over the coming years and therefore the demand for plasterers has never been higher.
The broad purpose of this occupation is to apply layers of plaster onto walls, floors and ceilings. Plastering serves a protective function, in that it makes buildings more robust and also an aesthetic function. Plasterers will often complete dry lining projects during their career. Although a person may specialise solely in dry lining, a plasterer must have the knowledge of dry lining in addition to their knowledge and skills to plaster.
The occupation covered by this apprenticeship standard is for a Plasterer that will specialise in either Solid or Fibrous plaster work after undertaking the core learning (which includes introductory elements of both solid and fibrous plastering).
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with commercial and domestic customers, other trades, architects and site managers. All plasterers can work on their own or as part of a small team. They work on small-scale domestic jobs, large repair and restoration projects and on big commercial developments such as schools or hospitals, therefore coming into contact with a wide range of people.
Whilst some plasterers are directly employed by companies specialising in plastering, there are a lot who are sub contracted by companies to work on new or existing buildings.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for:
Solid plastering
Solid plastering involves applying a range of plastering systems on to different background surfaces using traditional and modern materials. Background surfaces include solid plain walls, walls with openings and returns, ceiling joists and partitions and beams and piers that are attached or independent of walls. Solid plastering work includes preparing solid backgrounds by hand and mechanical means and installing sheet materials such as expanded metal lath/rib lath, standard angle beads, skim beads, stop beads, expansion beads and reinforcements for the application of one, two or three coat plastering or rendering systems. As a solid plasterer you would mainly be installing products on site.
Fibrous plastering
Fibrous plastering involves creating plaster components with either a modern contemporary design or with an ornamental enrichment to a classical design. These components could include lighting troughs, beam and column casings, ceiling roses, complete ceilings, cornices, panel mouldings and many others. They are produced using plaster that is reinforced with hessian canvas and timber laths (fibrous) or artificial fibres (Glass fibre Reinforced Gypsum). As a fibrous plasterer you would produce work in a workshop in addition to installing products on site. You will find fibrous work in traditional and modern buildings and sometimes in the film industry.
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Duty 1 Identify and confirm plastering requirements and components against a survey/job sheet/specification/drawings/CAD/BIM and in accordance with Building Regulations. |
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Duty 2 Locate, handle, store, load, transport and position plastering materials and components safely, minimising damage so they are ready for application and where applicable, in accordance with Working at Height regulations. |
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Duty 3 Prepare the site/work area (including access equipment when necessary), power and hand tools appropriate to the project. |
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Duty 4 Prepare background substrates for internal solid plastering, dry lining and external rendering. |
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Duty 5 Apply sealers and bonding agents to ensure plaster and render adhesion in line with the manufactures instructions. |
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Duty 6 Identify and select appropriate plastering materials, modern pre-blended and loose plasters, renders and additives including compounds, fixings, performance plasterboards, reinforcements and beads to carry out the plastering work in line with specifications and manufactures instructions. |
S1 S4 S5 S6 S7 S9 S10 S11 S12 S14
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Duty 7 For internal plastering cut and fix a range of standard and thin coat beads/trims to form true surfaces such as corners/returns for openings, |
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Duty 8 For external rendering fix and form stops/expansion joints and bell casts to form drips for weathering |
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Duty 9 Mix plasters and rendering materials including additives to a workable consistency. Select correct additives and reinforcements. |
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Duty 10 Cut, fix and install metal framed partitions, wall linings and openings.Cut and fix plasterboard mechanically and by direct bond in accordance with drawings and specifications. |
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Duty 11 Finish plasterboard surfaces by tape and joint or finishing plasters. |
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Duty 12 Apply one and two coat plastering systems to plain and window walls and ceilings, protecting the work area and making good when necessary. |
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Duty 13 Apply and finish a range of rendering systems to external elevations |
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Duty 14 Clear away leftover materials on completion of project and disposal of waste appropriately according to the appropriate code of practice. |
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Duty 15 Communicate professionally with colleagues, customers and stakeholders, providing a high level of customer service at all times. |
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Duty 16 Repair existing plasterwork, making good, restoring it to its original state. |
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Duty 17 Construct positive or negative running moulds according to specifications and drawings. |
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Duty 18 Install cast mouldings according to specifications and customer requirements. |
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Duty 24 Produce reverse moulds according to drawings and specifications |
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Duty 25 Cast mouldings from a range of materials including fibrous plaster, GRG and GRC (glass fibre reinforced cement) |
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Duty 26 Install a range of cast mouldings according to drawings and customer requirements e.g. arches and columns |
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Duty 27 Restore existing mouldings, considering different types, materials and appropriateness to building structure and age. |
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K11: How to produce reverse moulds such as enriched cornices, arches, columns, pilasters, corbels ceiling centre and beam case.
Back to Duty
K12: How to cast from reverse moulds in fibrous plaster, GRG (glass fibre reinforced gypsum) and GRC (glass fibre reinforced concrete)
Back to Duty
K13: How to fix a range of cast mouldings such as enriched cornice, arches, columns, pilasters, corbels, ceiling centre and beam casing.
Back to Duty
K14: How to restore existing mouldings including how to take squeezes of different types of mouldings using plaster, clay and silicone rubber to reproduce mouldings to match the original.
Back to Duty
S13: Reverse moulds: Produce reverse moulds (e g enriched cornices, arches, columns, pilasters, corbels ceiling centre and beam case).
Back to Duty
S14: Casting: Cast from reverse moulds in fibrous plaster, GRG and GRC (glass fibre reinforced cement) Fixing cast mouldings: install cast mouldings (e g enriched cornice, arches, columns, pilasters, corbels, ceiling centre and beam casing.
Back to Duty
S15: Restoration of existing mouldings: Take squeezes of different types of mouldings using plaster, clay and silicone rubber to reproduce mouldings to match the original; produce and install mouldings for the repair of existing mouldings.
Back to Duty
Awarding organisation: City & Guilds
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