Education · 1 of 4

The path

A paid apprenticeship, not a classroom. Mostly on the job, a few nights a month in a training center.

1. 1

   High school diploma or equivalent

   Grade 12

   That is the usual requirement. Shop class, math and any construction course help you get taken on.

2. 2

   Find a sponsor

   Weeks to months

   A plastering contractor or a local of the Operative Plasterers' and Cement Masons' International Association. This is the hard step, and knowing somebody in the trade is how most people manage it.

3. 3

   Register the apprenticeship

   Days

   Through a program registered with the United States Department of Labor or your state apprenticeship agency. Apprenticeship.gov lists open positions by trade and zip code.

4. 4

   Work and learn

   3 to 4 years

   Usually 3 to 4 years, roughly 2,000 hours on the job each year plus classroom hours in the evenings. You start carrying material and end running a wall yourself.

5. 5

   Journey level

   After your hours

   You finish with a nationally recognized completion certificate and the full hourly rate. No exam board sits between you and the job.