A Sign, Billboard, and Display worker installs a sign in a hallway
Train

PLASTERING

CONSTRUCTION

Plastering involves applying interior and exterior plaster, cement, stucco, or similar materials to coat internal walls and ceilings. *Plastering is a Pre-Apprenticeship program, which offers students the hands-on training and education needed to qualify for apprenticeships.   

Career Details

Skills

Students in Plastering are trained in the following subject areas:

  • Using brushes and trowels, and other industry tools, equipment, and machines
  • Measuring and mixing plaster to achieve the right consistency for each job
  • Mixing and applying base and finishing coats
  • Protecting nearby surfaces from splatters
  • Installing lathing, drywall, and plaster bases

Career Options

Most Plastering graduates go to work for construction companies or plastering unions. Plasterers spend most of the day on their feet in all kinds of environments—some projects may be inside, some may be outside, and others may even be elevated on scaffolding. Many plasterers work full time, but some may be hired on a contract basis.

Requirements

Before entering the program, students must:

  • Complete the core curriculum with passing scores on all written and performance tests.
  • Have strong math and reading skills.
  • Have a high school diploma or equivalent.

Credentials

As a Job Corps student, you will have the opportunity to earn credentials in your training area that may lead to greater employment opportunities, higher wages, and promotions.

Students who complete a center-based program in the Construction training area can earn nationally recognized credentials from organizations such as:

  • National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER)

Students training in union-affiliated programs can earn a certificate of completion that offers apprenticeship opportunities and on-the-job experience from organizations such as:

  • United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC)
  • International Masonry Institute (IMI)
  • International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE)
  • The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT)
  • National Plastering Industry Joint Apprenticeship Trust Fund (NPIJATF)

Plastering Numbers to Know

$30K

National average earning potential for this career

18+

Months to complete career training program

Expectations

While on the job, you will be expected to display the following traits at all times:

Attention to detail
Dependability
Integrity
Physical endurance
Teamwork

Related Careers

Construction

Bricklayer

Average salary: $35K per year Learn More

Length of training: 8-12 months

Job Corps’ Bricklayer Masonry program is a Trainee, Pre-Apprentice program offered through Home Builders Institute (HBI). *Bricklayer is a Pre-Apprenticeship program, which offers students the hands-on training and education needed to qualify for apprenticeships. 

Learn More
Construction

Carpentry

Average salary: $35K per year Learn More

Length of training: 8-12 months

Job Corps offers a basic Carpentry program, a Carpentry Trainee, Apprentice program through Home Builders Institute (HBI), and a Carpentry, Pre-Apprentice program through United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBCJA). All training programs are hands-on and are similar in curriculum and requirements. *Carpentry is a Pre-Apprenticeship program, which offers students the hands-on training and education needed to qualify for apprenticeships. 

Learn More
Construction

Cement Masonry

Average salary: $35K per year Learn More

Length of training: 8-12 months

As a cement mason, your job will include filling roads, driveways, sidewalks, bridges, foundations, and parking lots with cement. You will also make concrete beams, columns, and panels. *Cement Masonry is a Pre-Apprenticeship program, which offers students the hands-on training and education needed to qualify for apprenticeships. 

Learn More

Job Corps

Careers Begin Here!

Get started!