Welcome to Able Skills Plastering Qualification Routes

The construction industry relies heavily on skilled people and Able Skills is a leading, quality training provider within this industry. We are committed to playing an active part in training inexperienced people to enter the industry, build on their experience and become skilled workers.

Able Skills has moved forward and as we have grown, we have become more and more aware of the need to have skilled construction workers in the UK and we now consider that we can cater for the needs of everyone working within the industry. So whether you are a time served tradesman, recently qualified or have no qualifications at all, we offer a route for you to follow.

1 - Plastering Qualification Route

If you do not have any underpinning plastering qualifications, we recommend the following:-

Intermediate Construction Award (ICA) Plastering

This course is suitable for people who are not at this moment working in the plastering industry and who would like to obtain the required qualification to work towards becoming a professional Plasterer.

All ICA units are related to their equivalent NVQ unit, and we will advise you what extra assessments are required to gain the related NVQ unit once you are working within the Plastering industry.

To obtain the ICA in full, you must also pass an independent Health and Safety test which will take place at your nearest D.S.A. theory test centre.

Able Skills has a dedicated Health and Safety Advisor on site who will provide you with all the training necessary to assist you with this test.

Additionally, you will also sit a separate job knowledge test; this test is set and marked by City and Guilds.

The Units you must complete to achieve this Plastering award are:

ICA 100 Store materials & equipment
ICA 101 Erect & dismantle basic working platforms
ICA 102 Work efficiently
ICA 116 Fix sheet materials
ICA 117 Internal solid plastering
ICA 118 External solid plastering
ICA 119 Floor screeding
ICA 120 Dry lining - direct bond
ICA 121 Basic fibrous plastering
ICA 122 Basic repairs to fibrous plastering

For more information on this Plastering award, please go to ICA Level 2 Plastering Award

2 - NVQ Route

These qualifications (NVQs) focus on practical skills and knowledge. Developed and approved by people who work in the industry, they are a great way to get into construction or to boost your career by developing new skills and knowledge through the assessment of work based competence.

Able Skills can offer NVQ on site assessment to those of you who have underpinning qualifications. We have our own Assessors and Internal Verifiers, all of whom are City & Guilds and CAA approved. As long as you are working within the Plastering Industry, we can come and assess you on site.

NVQ Assessment process

To obtain a full NVQ it is a requirement that you are employed by a qualified and experienced person.
The process will start with an interview between you and your assessor whereby an action plan and timetable will be drawn up. You will require a work based recorder (Supervisor or foreman) who we will contact. You will be required to gather and record evidence as indicated on your assessment plan.

Following visits will be at your work place whereby we will assess you on site, observing you at work plastering, we will examine and discuss the evidence you have provided. An assessor will sign off completed units, where sufficient quality and quantity has been provided, any shortfalls of evidence will be discussed and any training requirements identified. In between visits, you will continue to generate further evidence.

3 - The Experienced Worker Practical Assessment (EWPA)

This is a fast route open through the CAA-ConstructionSkills / City & Guilds awarding body. It is available for workers with a minimum of five years experience and who don’t need any further training.

It involves spending a day having your skills and knowledge assessed at Able Skills Construction Training Centre. This can sometimes be done at weekends.

All the skills needed to pass the NVQ are included in one task, which is observed by our approved plastering assessor.

The 4 Steps of EWPA

Step 1: Following your first call to us, you will be contacted by a member of staff within 2 - 3 weeks to arrange your first appointment.

Step 2: An assessor will introduce you to the process and make an initial assessment to ensure you are suitable to qualify through this method. They may also ask you to bring some items of ‘evidence’ with you. Evidence you provide can be in a written form, such as witness statements from customers or supervisors worked with in the past, or it can take the form of photographs of your work, site plans, qualifications or proof of employment.

Step 3: You will undertake a practical assessment of your skills which will be observed by the assessor. This will be followed by professional discussion to assess your knowledge of the subject. This will be over a period of 2 days.

Step 4: If you are successful, you should receive your full CSCS card within 7 working days and your NVQ certificate will also arrive a few weeks later. If you do not pass the assessment all is not lost: the work you have done can still count towards your qualification through OSAT.

Whichever category you fall into, Able Skills is confident that with the quality of plastering training we provide and staff in place, we can get you to where you need to be.

If you require any additional information about these qualification routes, please feel free to contact us on 01322 280202 where staff are on hand 7 days each week to answer any additional questions you may have.

You can contact us by telephone or Email: info@ableskills.co.uk.

Alternatively, you can visit us in person to view our facilities and obtain further information about the courses and qualifications available to you at:

Unit K5, Riverside Industrial Estate, Riverside Way, Dartford, Kent DA1 5BS. The industrial estate is situated on the A2026 Victoria road, 5 minutes from Dartford mainline station and the town centre. Dartford train station is accessible from Charing Cross, Cannon Street, Victoria and London Bridge. There are excellent road links to surrounding motorway networks:- M25 junctions 1a and 1b, A2, M2 and M20. We have sufficient parking facilities.

Opening hours 8.30a.m - 4.30p.m (7 Days per week) Mon - Sun

For more details please phone our booking line on 0808 100 3245

Able Building Skills Centre are giving £ 1.00 to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity for every course booked.