TOTAL NOVICE.. (any advice appreciated!)

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nick99

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I want to become a plasterer! I have found a few 4-5 day courses in my area but have a few questions:

-After completing a 4-5 day course what is my next move? Do I look at being a plasterers mate, do I start trying to get some jobs for myself?

-Do I buy the 'kit' which is offered by the training company as they say it is at a discounted price (I have no plastering related tools at present).

-Is doing an NVQ just for those looking to work for someone else/on site?

-CSCS card??

-What pays better, being self employed or working for someone else?

-How much experience do I need to be taken seriously by an employer/to be able to plaster at a high level? (I appreciate it is a matter of constantly learing).

-Whats the best way to go about looking for jobs? Is it mainly via word of mouth?
 
Welcome to the Forum.Instead of a 4 or 5 day course do about ten years with an experienced plasterer preferably one who's old stock and very fussy.You should be just labouring for the first maybe 2 or 3 years.After this if your one of the rare good ones you'll be in a position to ask the questions in your post.Good luck.
 
b*ll***s to the 4 or 5 day course shite!! Save your money to tide you over when you offer to do a couple of weeks for free (at first) with an experienced decent spread with a good reputation etc. Then you will realise if this really is the right path for you or not? You get bad days in every job and to be expected especially when you're learning. As for @Elvis no 1 I liked it better when you were dead mate :birra:
 
I would do the course for a while, be warned though in modern times many training centres are just dumping grounds for the gov't to dump youngsters to massage the unemployment figures.
However it will help give a basic understanding of the jobs key tasks, give you access to materials so you gain practical experience of mixing different coats to consistancies & let you get the wrist working right, after you gain a little confidence look to acquire an apprenticeship where am sure at first you will do some labouring but it wont be your priority the firm will also get funding for you & be responsible for paying to send you on block & day release to college, do not BUY tools from a training centre a £ to a penny they will be overpriced tin garbage, look at a Stainless 13"x5" finishing trowel, Marshall Town or the 14" cork handled Nela, you can break this in as you are at the training centre or helping throw on base coats serving an apprenticeship, a hawk will be useful as well ofc but a poly one will do.
Check out screwfix or the 1stopplastering shop that often posts on the forum.
You cant expect to do 5 weeks at a training centre and expect to know anything really, buy a trowel to be breaking it in build the rest of your kit as you go on as needed basis.
 
You cant just get a cscs card (well legitamatly read the thread on this forum) you will need to gain the accreditation including modern equivalents of the City and Guilds craft & advanced certificates, look up the full requirements on the cscs scheme website, sorry I dont have a link for it but Google knows best.
So to answer your question self employed can pay more but it has more costs involved than cards in, so which will leave more money in your pocket is debatable for fact either option in the construction industry offers about the same security another fact is without sound experience and the acquired knowledge it brings you wont be ready to go self emp even if you got a dodgy ticket.
 
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