Plastering Qualification Routes - Options Explained

Plastering Qualification Information and Guidance

The construction industry relies heavily on skilled people and in this day and age, skilled people with recognised qualifications.

Able Skills is a leading, quality construction training provider and assessment centre and we are committed to playing an active part in training inexperienced people to enter the industry, build on their experience and become skilled workers.

At the same time, we are also approved to assist skilled but unqualified workers to achieve the industry recognised qualifications in the most appropriate form and time span.

Plastering is a very popular trade to work within. It is very varied in it’s scope and a good Plasterer will have the skills to cover every plastering requirement whether the work is inside or out, walls or ceilings, plain or textured finishes, repair work or rendering and so on.

At Able Skills we have the facilities and experienced Plastering staff on hand to ensure that whatever aspect of Plastering you want to learn or need to be assessed on, you can be!

We can take you from a Plastering novice to a confident and competent Plasterer if you are dedicated and can take the time to listen to instruction and learn from the experts. We can also help those that have been plastering for many years to get the qualification that until 2010, they never needed.

City & Guilds are the leading industry recognised awarding body for construction training qualifications and Construction Awards Alliance (CAA) are the awarding body behind construction NVQs and Able Skills are approved by both to help individuals get to where they need to be within the Plastering trade.

Any Plastering training you consider undertaking should be done at a C&G or CAA approved Centre so that you can be assured that the facilities are correct, the courses are designed to progress you towards working and achieving an NVQ and more importantly, the staff are qualified as Plasterers and as Assessors.

•    Able Skills CAA centre number is 5759       
•    Able Skills C&G centre number is 723054

Please visit our course details page to see what route to a Plastering qualification is most appropriate to you

New Entrants

For New Entrants looking for a training qualification in Plastering, there are currently 2 options:

Route 1

New Entrants– No Existing Plastering Qualifications – New for 2011

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

City & Guilds 6218: QCF Plastering Certificate (5 Weeks)

Unit 005 - Introducing finishing skills
Unit 006 - Introducing levelling in construction
Unit 117 - Developing rendering skills
Unit 118 - Developing plastering skills
Unit 207 - Expanding Rendering Skills
Unit 208 - Expanding Plastering Skills

This Plastering 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.

To broaden your understanding of Plastering, you can add an additional 2 weeks to this to gain further understanding of the requirements of the Plastering industry and receive additional training to ensure you are fully equipped to work within the industry and gather evidence to work towards an NVQ at level 2

Route 2

Construction Awards Alliance Level 2 Plastering Diploma (6 Weeks)

This CAA Diploma will require 6 weeks of practical Plastering training and assessment. Completion of this Diploma will be determined by all of the following:

•    Achievement of each Plastering unit by internal testing undertaken by your instructor. Each Plastering knowledge unit also has a mandatory series of questions and answers produced by CAA and managed by your instructor.
•    Synoptic practical Plastering assignment set by CAA and controlled by your instructor. Successful completion of the assignment will be needed before the Plastering qualification can be completed.
•    Online test covering the core Plastering units and the occupational units must be passed to achieve the Plastering qualification. The test will be an independent test of Plastering knowledge and understanding.

As you can see from the above, completion of this Plastering Diploma requires candidates to demonstrate knowledge and competence on both a practical and theory level and therefore to confirm this, candidates are required to record their understanding of the subject in detail.

This Plastering course will require you to undertake some research in order for you to record your understanding of Plastering and related aspects but to help you with this we have put together a comprehensive Plastering manual which will cover all of the knowledge units required to fully achieve this Plastering award.

This manual, along with practical Plastering training, demonstrations, ongoing guidance and advice will all help when you undertake your Plastering unit tests, final practical assessment and On-Line exam.

The Units you must complete to achieve this Level 2 Diploma in Plastering are:

•    Know how to carry out safe working practices
•    Carry out safe working practices
•    Knowledge of information, quantities and communicating with
•    others 2
•    Information, quantities and communicating with others 2
•    Knowledge of building methods and construction technology 2
•    Building methods and construction technology 2
•    Know how to apply plaster materials to external surfaces
•    Apply plaster materials to external surfaces
•    Know how to fix dry lining and plasterboard products to interiors
•    Fix dry lining and plasterboard products to interiors
•    Know how to form sand and cement screeds
•    Form sand and cement screeds
•    Know how to produce plaster components
•    Produce plaster components
•    Know how to apply plaster materials to internal surfaces
•    Apply plaster materials to internal surfaces
•    Know how to position and secure fibrous plaster components
•    Position and secure fibrous plaster components

Existing Plasterers

If you are already a Plasterer but do not hold any formal qualifications, there are two routes to achieving a Plastering NVQ at level 2, dependent upon time served:

Route 1

Existing Plasterers – Less than 5 years experience

If you have underpinning qualifications or have spent less than 5 years Plastering, we recommend the following:-

On Site Assessment (OSAT)

In order to qualify and register for this Plastering NVQ, the following criteria must be met:

•    You must work within a 60 mile radius of Dartford – Postcode: DA1.
•    You  will need to be employed in a role that is related to Plastering

Able Skills can offer NVQ on site assessment to those of you who have underpinning Plastering qualifications or who have been working in the Plastering industry for less than 5 years.

We have our own Plastering 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.

The process will start with an interview between you and your Plastering assessor whereby an action plan and timetable will be drawn up.

You will be required to gather and record evidence as indicated on your assessment plan and you would benefit from a work based recorder (Supervisor or foreman); this will help to confirm Plastering work which you have undertaken which an Assessor was unable to be present at.

Plastering Assessments will be at your work place whereby we will be observing you at work Plastering; we will examine and discuss any evidence you have provided.

An assessor will sign off completed units, where sufficient quality and quantity has been provided, any shortfalls of Plastering evidence will be discussed and any Plastering training requirements identified. In between visits, you will continue to generate further evidence.

The units required to achieve a level 2 Plastering NVQ (QUF 839) are:

QCF01 - Conforming to general safety in the workplace
QCF02 - Conforming to efficient working practices in the workplace
QCF03 - Moving and handling resources in the workplace
QCF66 - Producing Internal Solid Plastering Finishes in the Workplace
QCF67 - Producing External Solid Render Finishes in the Workplace

Supported by TWO optional units from:

QCF65 - Applying Finishing Plaster to Background Surfaces in the Workplace
QCF68 - Installing Direct Bond Dry Linings in the Workplace
QCF69 - Laying Sand and Cement Screeds to Levels and/or Falls in the Workplace
QCF70 - Applying Projection Plaster and Maintaining Equipment in the Workplace
QCF71 - Installing Mechanically Fixed Plasterboard in the Workplace

There is no time scale on achieving a Plastering NVQ. If your line of work allows, NVQs can be achieved in a relatively short space of time however, if the work you are doing is restricted or repetitive, the NVQ process can take longer because the opportunity to meet all of the required Plastering NVQ units will not be available to you.

Route 2

Existing Plasterers – More than 5 years experience

If you have spent more than 5 years Plastering but have never gained qualifications, we recommend the following:-

The Experienced Worker Practical Assessment: EWPA

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

The process involves profiling and skill matching by an Able Skills Plastering Assessor, evidence gathering, a practical Plastering assessment and a Professional Discussion. Any of these processes can be done at weekends.

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

The 4 Steps of EWPA - Your fast track route to a Plastering NVQ

Step 1: Upon contacting Able Skills, we will arrange a profiling appointment for you and make recommendations of the kind of information and evidence you may wish to bring along to support your application as an experienced Plasterer.

Step 2: At your profiling appointment (which will last for approximately 2 hours) our Plastering assessor will introduce you to the process and make an initial assessment to ensure you are suitable to qualify through this method.

They will look over any items of Plastering ‘evidence’ you may have 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 Plastering work, site plans, qualifications or proof of Plastering employment.

If there is insufficient evidence but it is clear that you are a competent Plasterer, you will be advised of what additional evidence is required which you will have to bring back to the Centre to undertake a review.. You will also be required to sit a health & safety test for your CSCS card if you haven’t done so already.

Step 3: Once all of the required portfolio evidence is complete, you will undertake a practical assessment of your skills which will be observed by our Plastering assessor. This will be followed by a recorded professional discussion to assess your knowledge of Plastering; we will aim to complete this process over a period of 2 days, weekends are available.

Step 4: If you are successful, you will receive your full, Experienced Worker CSCS card and your NVQ certificate. If you do not pass the Plastering assessment all is not lost: the work you have done can still count towards your Plastering qualification through OSAT.

Summary: Plastering Qualifications

So whether you are new to the Plastering industry, time served or somewhere in between, we feel confident that we have the right training or assessment option for you. 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.

New to the Plastering Industry

Route 1 - City & Guilds 6218: QCF Plastering Certificate (5 Weeks)

(Or maybe add another 2 weeks to start the NVQ process)

Route 2 - Construction Awards Alliance Level 2 Plastering Diploma (6 Weeks)

Time Served Plasterers

Route 1 - On Site Assessment (OSAT)

Route 2 - The Experienced Worker Practical Assessment: EWPA

Plastering Image Gallery

Book the Above Course

We are sorry but this course is not available for online booking. To book this course, please call us on 01322 280202 or use the form below: