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Plasterers

How to become a Plasterer

Also called: Plastering tradesperson, Plasterer's labourer, Spray plasterer, Mortar renderer, Lath fixer

Uses trowels, brushes and sprayers to coat the walls, ceilings and partitions of buildings with natural materials such as plaster and earth.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say high school or less than high school is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular education or qualifications are needed to start. Some people join a plastering firm, study at a vocational training school after joining, and learn the skills while doing practical work on site. The usual path after joining is to rise from apprentice to skilled plasterer, then to work chief, who directs and supervises site work, and then to foreman, who is responsible for both the work and its management. To lead work on a construction site as a foreman, you need not only plastering skills but also qualifications that let you guide and manage safety. Gaining the plastering exam in the ginou kentei (national trade skills test) run by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare serves as proof of skill. Depending on your skills, you can also move from tradesperson to construction engineer (second grade certified building construction manager, finishing) or set up your own business.

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Plasterer?

No particular education or qualifications are needed to start. Some people join a plastering firm, study at a vocational training school after joining, and learn the skills while doing practical work on site. The usual path after joining is to rise from apprentice to skilled plasterer, then to work chief, who directs and supervises site work, and then to foreman, who is responsible for both the work and its management. To lead work on a construction site as a foreman, you need not only plastering skills but also qualifications that let you guide and manage safety. Gaining the plastering exam in the ginou kentei (national trade skills test) run by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare serves as proof of skill. Depending on your skills, you can also move from tradesperson to construction engineer (second grade certified building construction manager, finishing) or set up your own business.

How much does a Plasterer earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥4,668,700 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Other construction workers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Plasterer?

Usually not. In this job's census occupation group, only 3% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: National trade skills test (技能検定).

Will AI change the work of a Plasterer?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026