Finishing Trades

Finishing covers the last stages of the building construction sector which is floor and wall tiling, fibrous and solid plastering, and painting and decorating.

The Finishing trades sector employs just over 100,000 people, with a few large enterprises but mainly dominated by small-scale businesses. Opportunities in the sector depend on the level of building and renovation activity.

• 83% of the workforce is full-time
• Women make up 9% of the workforce
• 58% of the workforce holds a Certificate III or IV qualification and less than 10% hold higher education qualifications.

Technological advances in plaster materials make for lighter, easier to use products.

Changes in paints are driven by manufacturers who compete to make more durable, stain proof and antibacterial products. The focus is also on better finishes and less frequency of repainting.

Fibrous Plasterer. Painting Trades Worker, Signwriter, Solid Plasterer and Wall and Floor Tiler are occupations have been identified as being in skill shortage on the National Skills List.

There are a wide range of licensing requirements across the states and territories for a number of occupations in the Building and Construction industry.

Access state and territory regulatory authority sites across several occupations through the Australian Government’s Licence Recognition website.

Safe Work Australia also provides links to all state and territory information.

Work Health and Safety

Under Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation all people working on construction sites must complete general construction induction training.  This is often referred to as a ‘White Card’, or ‘Blue Card’ depending on the training done or the location.  In any case, it’s needed before entering a construction site.  Safe Work NSW provides information in this area for states and territories.