Hi. Looking to be a plasterer!!

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hewittinspain

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Hello guys.
Ive just returned from iving abroad for the past 13 yrs. Im 38 now and no trade to my name. I have a bit of savings and have been pondering over what to do with my life. I have a few thousand saved up to put into college and my brother who is a manager at the Royal Mail said that one of his staff is now doing ok as a plasterer.

Ive looked into the Leeds college of building who do a 2 yr course at £950 + £950.(lv1/2 diploma) So really best part of £2k which is a lot of cash. I really do not not mind spending that amount of cash if im going to long term get something out of it which is where im looking to you for advise.
Im not looking to earn mega money at all,Just a decent enough living. I just want to know if its worthwhile paying this for a 2 yr course to either get work for a company or to set up my own business via word of mouth etc. (I know plasterers charge quite a bit per hr).
Its tough cos im at crossroads of my life where I want to do a trade thats gonna pay in the long run and I really do fancy becoming a plasterer.
Any other advise on how to go about this and stages of the process would be apreciated.
Thanks.
 
What makes you think plastering is for you mate. and why not a brickie , joiner. sparks etc. two year course by that time we should be out of this downturn and you will be 40 all your best years long gone. If I was you mate I would look to do somthing less demanding on your body . Anyway buddie good luck and I hope it all works out well for you.
 
Keeping my own thoughts on this aside if you read through a few of the recent posts on this forum you should get a good feel as to how people are feeling about the plastering career at the moment. Hope this helps
 
To be honest gas fitter was an option I had in mind. I just wanted feedback. I know platering can be hard work and im not sure if the first poster who replied to me was implying the best years had gone by in terms of plastering or getting a trade full stop as I dont agree with the latter. People can start trades at any stage of life and even at 40 you have a good 20+ years ahead of you. Im guess he is just on about the hard working physical jobs such as plastering though.
 
from my experience, plasterers at the age of 40 start to slow down. i dont mean retiring i just mean they don't take on the bigger demanding jobs anymore. its a young mans game to a certain extent.
 
I was just on about plastering really being a struggle at present. Work is scarce and alot of people are willing to work for peanuts which is bringing prices and earning potential down. As i have mentioned in other threads if I had my time I would look to learn something else. It's also very taxing on your body I'm only 29 but I am already starting to feel pains in my fingers
 
I appreciate your relies. My dad actually warned me against it as he knew someone as a plasterer in his 50s and his body was knackered. Thanks guys, think ill try and look for something else.!
 
Yep... I have to agree with the above, the money was/is there but it is a big strain on your body... dont retire tired my friend :-)
 
beddy said:
from my experience, plasterers at the age of 40 start to slow down. i dont mean retiring i just mean they don't take on the bigger demanding jobs anymore. its a young mans game to a certain extent.
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im 54 mate and havent slowed down yet... but i keep myself fit... by working hard
 
you keep fit with that double ended gear stick dildo thing. i was generalising mate. would you want to start this trade at the age of 40 with the way things are at the minute?
 
i mate
I was not trying to put you off plastering just telling you the way it is. You may be the kind who work out at the gym so should be fit or looked after yourself . We plasterers always end up slitting our own throats were prices are concern it.s the plaster dust in the brain what does it. Who know's were any of us will be in the next 2 yrs when you will be starting out. Like I said best of luck if I can help you I will.
 
I wouldn't recommend this job to anybody. Im 42 and always been very fit, walking up mountains and cycling. Now i'm slowing things down as my body is starting to pack in!!
 
best years of ur life are ahead of u yet if u want to be a plaster u do it people will always mone about there job plastering or other wise i work with a plaster who was 63 last week i kid u not and who could run rings around a24 year old he says trades men dont get good till there forty it is ahard job and money is bad at the moment but i have made big money in the good times
 
Are you telling me that from 20 to 40 you have not reach your peak and from 40 plus your in your prime. Your mate must be something special that he can hold his own with a young gun of 24 on top of his game. I know of spreads in there mid 60's who in there words not mine (If I was a dog you would put me down)
These lads have worked really and I mean really hard all there life in the plastering game.
 
youre generally fooked at that age generally to be honest as previously said,young mans game.Theres a lot of negative talk about at moment with good reason about the trade,a lot of trades are strugling at moment believe me it aint just plasterering.if i was your age id be looking into plumbing or sparks something a bit less demanding.
If you still want to go down that avenue at leeds building tech i did my day release there about 10 years ago when i did my time,and it has one of the best facilities around in the country.not sure of your position but if your registered unemployed you dont have to pay for a diploma or a at least until your earning a certain amount or at least it use to be that way as there were lads there using same facilities who were doing it.
if you want send us a pm i still have contacts there who can sort you out or have a chat with you etc.
 
thats right ur only learning from 20 to 40 geting fast and tastey doing more with less efort younge guys ware themselves out trying to be good ur life cant be over at forty i see old guys still at the job at 60 a lot of guys who are f**k*d at 40 0r 50 because the dont luck after themsevels eating big fryes for breakfest burger king for dinner pints of lager for supper it not the work that fucks them up its there lifestyle ihave seen younge spreads drink themsevels to death iknow a very good spread one of the best i ever meet and hes finished at 35 from drugs it sad to see him now he s a veg dosent know what day of the week it is work never hurt any one like that
 
i like a drink my self dont get me wronge but when u see guys drinking cans of special brew at lunche time so the can get to the end of the day there the guys who will be f**k*d at 40 or 50 and then they will say plastering f**k*d me up as they sit on there very own park bench i worked with a guy in watford in the 80 s dead at 45 drink not work
 
im 45 been doing this for nearly 30 years ,my knees have gone ,my back f***ed ,ive got pains in muscles i never knew i had,having said that im as thick as s**t but ive earnt a bloody good living.
 
Well i started my plastering college course at 39, i'm 41 now and still have loads to learn about the trade, however i can ran rings round lads half my age all day long! The truth of the matter is not how old you are its all about having the right mental attitude towards wanting to learn and working hard, something the the younger generation seem to lack!

Anyway the phrase life begins at 40 springs to mind, so why not a new career
 
beddy said:
give it 10 more years dale then say that
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i plan to win the lottery by then!! or a team of polish guys doing the work for me!
As for HGV or IT trust me guys if ya think the money is shite in plastering have a look at driving jobs, and the money is only good if your at the top end of the IT game for which you will need a uni degree for that, otherwise the money is crap in that these days!

But the one thing everyone seems to be missing out on is doing a job you enjoy, and i enjoy plastering, and thats what counts in my opinion!
 
enjoy it dale. balls to the nine to five. different place day in day out. new people. your own boss. plenty of time for hobbies. laaaaaaaaaaaaaaavvvvv it up. just be smart.
 
I've done all sorts of jobs over the years, worked in an office for years, field sales for many many years etc etc and to be honest apart from looking at all the lovely women in the offices all day, it bored me shitless!

Lets face it chaps and this it what i tell my kids all the time, you have to work like it or not so why not do i job you enjoy, and yes i must admit it does hurt the body big time, i'd be a liar if i said it doesn't, but hey being beaten and tied up in bondage does too, and we all know how much fun that is don't we! Or is that just me? :)
However i've been thinking of going back to college to train in another skill, maybe sparks, so ive got another string to my bow.
 
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