plastic worker

As a plasterer you manufacture products in plastic and composite materials – from boats and tanks to wind turbine blades and special parts for industry. You work with materials that must be light strong and last in demanding environments. It is a trade where precision and good craft make all the difference to the finished product.

§What do you do in everyday life?

A typical day involves building products in molds laying fiberglass and laminate molding and curing plastic and then adapting and finishing the final part. You read drawings mix materials in the right amounts and check that strength and dimensions fit before the part goes further.

• 01You learn to laminate and cast with fiberglass and composite.
• 02You learn to read working drawings and build according to them.
• 03You learn to work with molds, vacuum, and curing.
• 04You learn to grind, cut, and post-process plastic parts.
• 05You learn to work safely with resin, chemicals, and extraction.

§How do you get started?

You start with a basic course at a vocational school and then find an apprenticeship in a plastics company. Throughout the entire education you get trainee wages and you alternate between school and practical training so theory and practical experience build up side by side.

§The way forward

As a trained plasterer you can work in industry with the production of composite and plastic products. You can specialise in for example large structures or repair become a team leader or further your education in production and materials technology.

“Plastic is as light as a feather and as strong as steel – if you form it right.”