Apprentice Profile:
I like doing things with my hands, so once I finished school, I found myself in plastering, which I love. After a couple of years I started my...
Interior Systems
Interior Systems incorporate some of the specialist trades that complete work for the interior spaces of a building or house. As with a lot of trades within the construction industry, there is great variety in the work you do because of the different designs and features of buildings and houses.
Qualified plastering is a trade in high demand. Most commercial and residential buildings require someone to fix plaster board to walls and ceilings and also to finish the joints with plaster to a smooth finish.
National Certificate in Plaster Board (Level 4)
What skills will I learn?
You’ll learn all of the skills and techniques required to fix and/or finish plaster board to walls, ceilings and architectural features.
There is also an option to complete a specialist strand where you learn to construct fire resistant rated and sound control elements and install water resistant and bracing plaster board systems.
How long will it take?
It will take you approximately 18 months to complete the qualification completing either the fixing or finishing area with about an additional six months to complete the specialist strand.
National Certificate in Specialist Interiors (Installation) (Level 3)
Internal structures are a specialised area of the construction trade. These systems are most often used in office buildings where the layout of the floor can be changed easily without affecting the building structure.
What will I learn?
You’ll develop all of the skills and techniques required to install suspended ceilings and/or proprietary partitions. Being qualified as an installer of suspended ceilings involves creating and attaching a grid suspended from the ceiling and fitting panels or sheets into this grid. Installing proprietary partitions is about erecting walls, doors etc that are easily removable.
You can also choose to complete an extra area, focusing on installing access floors which create a void underneath to give access to services.
How long will it take?
To become fully qualified will take you approximately 18 months with some additional time if you want to complete access floors or both suspended ceilings and proprietary partitions
National Certificate in Fibre Cement Linings (Level 4)
Fibre Cement Linings is a specialist product that is used for both interior and exterior areas. To be qualified as an installer of Fibre Cement Linings you will be cutting, fixing and/or finishing fibre cement board to all sorts of surfaces including architectural features.
What will I learn?
As well as general building skills, you’ll focus on developing the techniques and skills involved in either fixing or finishing fibre cement board to: interior surfaces, interior and exterior ceilings and architectural features.
How long will it take?
It will take about 14 months to complete the basic certificate or up to two years if you want to develop in-depth skills in both fixing and finishing.
National Certificate in Fibrous Plaster (Manufacture) (Level 4)
Fibrous plastering is a very old technique used to create decorative features, architraves and sheets. The manufacture of fibrous plaster products is done mainly in a factory but occasionally moulds are run on site. Discover the skills and knowledge to be a manufacturer of fibrous plaster linings and fittings.
What skills will I learn?
You’ll cover the construction techniques involved in making moulds for fibrous plaster products as well as casting different fibrous plaster products such as cornices, arches, fire surrounds, dados and many more.
You can then choose to develop your skills in one or both of two specialist areas: Panels and Tiles; and/or Specialist Models and Mould Making.
How long will it take?
To become fully qualified will take you approximately one year with an additional time of between two months and one year depending on which strand of the qualification you might to choose.
National Certificate in Fibrous Plaster (Installation) (Level 4)
Installing fibrous plaster products requires much care and attention to detail. The results of this care and attention can be seen in many high quality buildings, both modern and historical around New Zealand.
What skills will I learn?
You’ll learn how to effectively and efficiently install, stop and finish flat fibrous plaster sheets as well as other products such as cornices and mouldings.
There is also an option to develop skills in specialist fibrous plaster systems such as installing fire resistant and sound controlled fibrous plaster sheets as well as fibrous plaster heating panels.
How long will it take?
Depending on your experience and ability it will take you approximately two years. It will take about four months extra if you choose to also complete the Specialist area.
