What will I learn on this course?
This 9 day plastering course is designed to teach you the practical skills needed to board and skim to a high standard, with extra time to practise on larger and more complex training areas. The aim is to help you build real confidence, better finish quality and a more reliable workflow for real plastering jobs.
You attend the same practical course whether you choose no certificate, the AIM Qualifications unit certificate, or the City & Guilds unit certificate.
- Plasterboarding skills: measure, cut and fix boards to stud walls and ceilings, and create strong backgrounds ready for finishing plaster
- Skimming to a high standard: apply finishing plaster to a range of different sized areas and obstacles so you can handle real jobs, not just flat practice walls
- Beading & scrim tape: fit beads correctly and reinforce joins to improve durability and reduce cracking
- Patch & repair work: repair damaged plaster and chased-out walls to a tidy, paint-ready finish
- Background preparation: understand how to prepare different surfaces correctly and plan work to avoid common failures
- Planning, pricing & quoting: estimate materials, plan a job, price work and communicate clearly with customers
Why 9 days matters: The extra time lets you practise more, skim larger areas, and learn how to handle the tricky joins, corners and awkward sections that show up on real jobs.
What practical work will I complete during the course?
This course is highly practical. You will complete all work in your own individual training bay using professional tools and materials in realistic working conditions. The focus is on repetition, progression and building a consistent, high-quality finish — not just “having a go”.
- Apply finishing plaster to flat walls
- Apply finishing plaster to walls with a window opening, including reveals
- Apply finishing plaster to a niche (built-in shelf area)
- Apply finishing plaster to an attached pillar / pier
- Apply finishing plaster to a ceiling
- Apply finishing plaster to a raked ceiling and angled wall/ceiling areas
- Skim wall-to-wall and wall-to-ceiling joins
- Measure, cut and fix plasterboards to a stud wall
- Fix plasterboards to solid block walls using dot and dab
- Fix plasterboards to a ceiling area
- Fit beading and apply scrim tape
- Complete patch and repair work to damaged walls, including chased-out areas
- Understand how to cover artex where suitable
- Understand how to board and skim an RSJ (method and approach)
- Plan plastering projects, including tools, materials, timelines and costs
- Learn pricing, customer communication and how to avoid common job issues and callbacks
You will complete multiple plastered areas during the course, giving you repetition, confidence and the practical ability to carry out plastering work to a good standard after training.
Ongoing tutor support is included — you can contact your tutor or the training centre by phone, email, WhatsApp, or visit in person if you have questions when completing jobs away from the centre.
Will I receive a certificate or qualification?
Yes.
On completion of the course, you will receive an attendance certificate confirming the practical training and skills you have undertaken.
You also have the option to gain accredited certification, including:
- AIM Qualifications Level 3 unit certificate titled “Plastering Skills” (optional, +£100)
- City & Guilds Level 1 unit certificate (optional, +£100)
How it works: You attend the same 9 day practical plastering course, then choose whether to complete it with no certificate, the AIM unit certificate, or the City & Guilds qualification. You do not need to decide before booking.
Important: The AIM certificate is a unit certificate, not a full qualification, as it covers a single trade unit. To achieve a full qualification, training across multiple units or trades would be required.
City & Guilds route: certificate is a unit certificate, not a full qualification, as it covers a single unit in preparing walls and applying finishing plaster. Some people like to gain a City & Guilds certificate so they can use it for marketing by saying they are City & Guilds trained.
Course duration, cost and start dates
Course duration, cost and start dates
- Duration: 9 days (delivered over 2 consecutive weeks)
- Location: Stoke-on-Trent (ST6 2DJ)
Practical, real-world plastering training: delivered by an experienced plasterer with around 20 years in the trade — so you learn methods used on real jobs, not classroom theory.
One course, flexible outcome: you attend the same 9 day practical plastering course, then choose how you complete it:
- Attendance certificate (included)
- AIM Qualifications Level 3 unit certificate titled “Plastering Skills” (+£100)
- City & Guilds Level 1 unit certificate in plastering (+£100)
You don’t need to decide in advance — you can choose the best option for you during the course.
If you’re still comparing routes, you can view all options on our plastering courses page.
- Course price & options: £1,150 for the 9 day course. Optional qualification routes available — AIM Qualifications unit certificate titled “Plastering Skills” (+£100) or City & Guilds Level 1 unit certificate (+£100)
Deposits & payment: A £150 deposit secures your place. The remaining balance is due four weeks before your course start date. Payment can be made by card, bank transfer or PayPal (Pay in 3 may be available).
Available Course start dates:
Below are dates which currently have places available.
- 14th September – 1 place available
- 28th September – 1 place available
- 12th October – 10 places available
- 23rd November – 7 places available
- 7th December – 9 places available
- 4th January 2027 – 8 places available
- 1st March – 10 places available
Reserve list available for other dates
Meet your plastering tutor
Your plastering training is delivered by Mark, who has been working as a plasterer for around 20 years. During that time he has worked across residential, commercial and site-based jobs, completing boarding, skimming and floating work. Mark achieved his Advanced Craft plastering qualification around 20 years ago and has been on the tools ever since.
His teaching is practical, supportive and based on real-world methods, helping learners build a smoother finish, better timing and stronger confidence on real plastering tasks.
What learners value most: practical demonstrations, personal guidance while you skim, and the “real job” tips that help you achieve a tidy finish in less time.
Student feedback
Student feedback
We ask all learners to complete a feedback form at the end of their course, and the results are published transparently.
Recent learner feedback:
“The most useful was skimming and the niche. I have got confidence to go on and convert my garage to a holiday let. I would recommend this course to others because develop skills that will save people a fortune if they do it themselves – a good life skill. What I like about the college is the fact that it offers courses that are fairly intensive so 9 days at a time learning a certain trade is a lot better than say doing 2-3 days on multiple trades. Also, the fact that the instructors are actual tradesmen too, I think that goes a long way. ”
T McCullough, 9 Day Intensive Plastering Course, June 2026
“I would recommend this course to others, very experienced instructor with ample resources, very good learning environment throughout. What I like about the college is instruction, tools, environment, duration and guidance. Nothing to improve, all outstanding.”
G Rai, 9 Day Intensive Plastering Course, June 2026
“Yes, I would recommend this course to others, great use of ELCAS, I feel confident going forward completing my own plastering jobs. What I like about the college is the environment to work in. Mark was experienced, knowledgeable and always willing to help take time to improve my technique.”
L Jewitt, 9 Day Plastering Course, June 2026
“The most interesting and useful parts of the training course for me was practical skills and use of these skills to plaster different walls and areas. Useful to get skills both for personal use or future work. ”
C Voysey, 9 Day Plastering Course, June 2026
“Conducive learning environment where a lot can be learned in a short time. Useful getting the time to practice plastering as took a while to get the hang of it.”
L Boer, 9 Day Plastering Course, June 2026
You can view more feedback from previous students on our customer feedback page.
All completed feedback forms are also kept at our training centre and can be viewed during a visit.
FAQs about this course
FAQs about this course
Is this course suitable for complete beginners?
Yes — this course is designed for beginners and starts with the fundamentals before progressing onto larger and more complex areas.
What’s the difference between the 5-day and 9-day plastering course?
The 9-day course gives you significantly more practice time and covers more complex work, including larger skimming areas, niches, raked ceilings, dot & dab to solid walls, and more patch and repair work. It’s the better option if you want confidence to complete jobs away from the training centre.
What certification options are available on this course?
You can complete the course with an attendance certificate, or choose to add an accredited option:
- AIM Qualifications Level 3 unit certificate titled “Plastering Skills” (+£100)
- City & Guilds Level 1 Award in Construction Skills (Plastering) (+£250)
You attend the same course regardless of which option you choose.
Do I need to choose my certificate option before booking?
No — you don’t need to decide in advance. You can choose whether to complete the course with no certificate, AIM, or City & Guilds during the course.
How does the City & Guilds option work?
You complete the same 9 day course, but with additional assessments during training and some home study. This leads to the City & Guilds Level 1 Award in Construction Skills (Plastering).
Do you provide tools and materials?
Yes — all tools and materials are provided during your course in the training bays.
Will I be able to do plastering work after the course?
You will leave with the practical skills and confidence to carry out plastering work. Many learners begin with smaller jobs and continue building experience from there.
What support do I get after the course?
You can contact your tutor or the training centre after you finish (phone, WhatsApp, email, or visit). Support is included and there is no charge.
