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Educational Requirements | Outlook | Salary

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Job Description: An apprenticeship is a formal method of training in a skilled occupation or trade. For general information about apprenticeships, training, and partnerships with business, visit the United States Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship Training, Employer and Labor Services (OATELS) website. OATELS is the Federal program that administers the National Registered Apprenticeship System (NRAS). It is a consolidation of the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training and the new responsibilities of the employer and labor liaison dedicated to building a workforce for the 21st century.

Apprentice plasterers are paid trainees who learn to apply stucco or plaster finishes to walls and ceilings of structures. They use a variety of specialized hand tools to apply the plaster on masonry, metal, wire lath, or gypsum. They receive on-the-job training under the supervision of experienced plasterers, and they attend formal classes for related instructions on the plastering process. The work requires great care and skill.

Duties: Apprentices and tenders assist plasterers by doing simple jobs as part of their on-the-job learning experience. Plasterers may apply two or three coats depending on the requirements for a particular job. The first coat is put on roughly and scored to allow the next coat to stick. The second coat, called a brown coat, requires more smoothing. The third coat, or finish coat, requires great care and must be nearly perfect. Apprentice plasterers may perform some or all of the following duties:

• Gather tools and equipment
• Prepare wire mesh foundation
• Scratch surface of the plaster with a trowel
• Prepare thick plaster for the brown coat
• Prepare finish coat with lime, plaster of Paris, and water

Working Conditions: Plasterers work both outside and inside. A normal work week consists of 40 hours. Much of the work is done on scaffolding and ladders which may be hazardous. Safety practices should be followed to minimize falls. The job requires lifting, bending, climbing, and standing. There may be periods of unemployment due to weather conditions.

Educational Requirements: Applicants for an apprenticeship must complete high school or the equivalent (G.E.D.) and pass an aptitude test to qualify for the program. Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 25, and must become a member of a labor union. Experience gained through vocational courses, military training, or work experience may be used to obtain advanced placement in the apprenticeship program. For related information and recommended courses to prepare for this occupation, Tennessee high school students may visit the Trade and Industrial Education Standards, Competency Profiles, and Resource Links online.

Outlook: The estimated number of plasterers in Tennessee is 170. It is projected there will be a 22 percent increase in this occupation through the year 2012 with 10 openings annually. For additional information on this occupation, visit the nationally recognized Occupational Outlook Handbook online.

Salary

• Bureau of Labor Statistics, Tennessee Department of Labor website
• TN Department of Labor & Workforce Development website
• Bureau of Economic Analysis website

For an explanation of salary data please visit acinet.org

Last updated on: January 23, 2008