| Educational Attainment Breakdown for Plasterers and Stucco Masons |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
College or Higher |
.5% |
|
|
|
|
|
Some College |
14.9% |
|
|
|
|
|
High School or Less |
84.6% |
|
|
|
|
Most Significant Source of Postsecondary Education or Training
Long-term on-the-job training
Source: U.S. Department of Labor
Becoming a skilled plasterer or stucco mason generally requires 3 or 4 years of training, either informally on the job or through a formal apprenticeship.
Education and training. Preparation for a career as a plasterer or stucco mason can begin in high school, with classes in mathematics, mechanical drawing, and shop. After high school, there are many different ways to train.
The most common way is to get a job with a contractor who will provide on-the-job training. Entry-level workers usually start as helpers, assisting more experienced workers. They may start by carrying materials, setting up scaffolds, and mixing plaster. Later, they learn to apply the scratch, brown, and finish coats and may also learn to replicate plaster decorations for restoration work. Some employers enroll helpers in an employer-provided training program or send the employee to a trade or vocational school, or community college to receive further classroom training.
Depending on the region, some employers say a formal apprenticeship is the best way to learn plastering. Apprenticeship programs, sponsored by local joint committees of contractors and unions, usually include 3 or 4 years of paid on-the-job training and 160 hours of classroom instruction each of those years. In class, apprentices learn drafting, blueprint reading, and basic mathematics for layout work. They also learn how to estimate materials and costs and how to cast ornamental plaster designs.
On the job, apprentices learn about lath bases, plaster mixes, methods of plastering and safety practices. They learn how to use various tools, such as hand and powered trowels, floats, brushes, straightedges, power tools, plaster-mixing machines, and piston-type pumps. Some apprenticeship programs also allow individuals to train in related occupations, such as cement masonry and bricklaying.
Applicants for apprentice or helper jobs who have a high school education are preferred. Courses in general mathematics, mechanical drawing, and shop provide a useful background.
Other qualifications. Workers need to be in good physical condition and have good manual dexterity. Artistic creativity is helpful for those who apply decorative finishes. Applicants for apprenticeships usually must be at least 18 years old.
Certification and advancement. Some organizations related to masonry trades offer training and certification intended to enhance the skills of their members. For example, the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, International Masonry Institute confers designations in several areas of specialization, including one for plastering. Candidates who complete a 12-week certification program can earn a designation as a "journey level plasterer" by passing a competency based exam. Experienced candidates can become trainers and earn a designation as "Certified Instructor of Journeyworkers and Apprentices in the Trowel Trades."
With additional training and experience, plasterers and stucco masons may advance to jobs as supervisors, superintendents, or estimators for plastering contractors. Many become self-employed contractors. Others become building inspectors.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook
[Back to Top]