Wall & Ceiling Lining is an apprenticeship based trade which has opportunities for RPL (recognition of prior learning) and transfer of current competencies (RCC) that you may have completed from other trade areas or VET in school learning.
Wall and Ceiling Liners are divided into two main groups: Residential and Commercial though some companies handle both types of construction work.

Residential workers are associated general housing and renovation of domestic homes, from simple cutting and installing plasterboard to walls and ceilings, to installing steel framed and suspended ceiling systems and bulkheads to paperfaced cove and fancy cornice and ceiling roses. In modern homes there are quite areas which involve acoustic systems rated for sound levels and in wet areas , like bathrooms and laundries specialised plasterboard and compressed fibre cement sheeting products are installed. In the last few years mechanical flushing system have been in use in the residential sector, however student are trained in hand flushing, finishing and sanding as a basic skill.
Commercial workers usually have larger projects to work on, schools, shops, offices hotels, nursing homes and the work is more varied. Larger projects mean that the workers stay on the jobsites longer than residential site some up to a year, they are sometimes multi-storey buildings, which are empty shells and the Wall and Ceiling Liners build all of the non-lead bearing structures mainly using steel stud work. E.g offices, toilet blocks, large entrances and often quite complex designs including curved and raked ceilings, round bulkheads, suspended screw up and grid ceilings. The commercial sector also installs the same systems as the residential workers as well as the passive fire systems to protect areas of building, nursing homes and adjoining buildings.

There is a third area associated with Wall & Ceiling Lining and that is Fibrous Plastering, though it is a separate trade there are a lot of overlapping competencies. Fibrous Plastering involves, more ornate and decorative plaster work, mouldings, casting and restoration and construction of moulds to reproduce ornate cornice and embellishments.
Both areas of the Wall & Ceiling Lining trade have advantages and disadvantages, it depends on what type of work you are interested in call the Gilles Plains TAFE SA Campus for extra details

Entry into this occupation is more accessible thanks to TAFE SA Vocational Education courses (*Doorways to Construction), Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Pre-vocational courses. There are approximately 43% of Wall & Ceiling Liners who have a Certificate III and 48% of wall and ceiling workers have no post school qualifications. To gain the best possible chance of employment enrol in an accredited course even at a Certificate I in General construction level.

TAFE SA offers Certificate III in Wall and Ceiling Lining to students with an Apprentice contract of training. For further information go to the Traineeship & Apprenticeship Services Website at http://www.skills.sa.gov.au/apprenticeships-traineeships or phone the Freecall number 1800 673 097.

Still unsure? Then try a short course also offered through TAFE SA such as Ceiling and Wall Lining. Check the website for the full list of short courses.

Most qualified wall and ceiling liners are self-employed or work as contractors and sub-contractors (subject to licensing requirements). Others work for Wall and ceiling companies or industrial and commercial firms. The majority of jobs are in metropolitan areas, with over half of the wall and ceiling industry workers in the state work in residential building and construction and the rest in the commercial sector on larger projects the need for training is ever increasing. It is an expanding occupation and competition for apprenticeship places is strong, and most employers look for either past experience or training in Certificate I in General Construction in Wall and Ceiling Lining or similar as a benchmark.

Technological changes have significantly impacted on the residential sectors with the use of flushing boxes, sheet lifters and sanding machine used extensively in the workforce. The demand for wall and ceiling liners is an expanding industry in a skills shortage area. It is still is influenced by the levels of business activity, amount of new homes and additions approved and the number of large commercial project going ahead. The construction industry in the state projected to remain steady in the medium term.

Other career paths into this trade:
Vet in Schools (Doorways to Construction) Certificate I in General Construction BCG03
Construction worker/Apprentice Certificate I in (Specialising in Wall and Ceiling Lining) General Construction BCG03 (CPC08)
Up-skilling of existing Construction Workers via RPL and RCC process to gain Nationally Recognised Qualifications Certificate III Wall and Ceiling Lining
Certificate III in Wall and Ceiling Lining BCG31203 General Construction BCG03 (CPC08)
Certificate IV in Advanced Building Studies

The wall and ceiling lining industry is a challenging physical construction career that starts with lifting heavy things and can lead to running your own business with a full builder's and contractor's licence (with additional studies and subject to licensing where appropriate). Typically the workers are on building sites ranging from small residential house and additions to Multi-storey commercial projects.

They can be in remote areas or the metropolitan area, the work includes communicating with other trades to ensure the scheduling of lining walls and ceilings is completed after all other services and trades have finished. Construction of non-load bearing walls, arches and direct fixing of plasterboard and compressed fibre cement board, suspended screw up or grid ceilings, safe handling of materials, fitting metal angle or trims, mixing of flushing compounds, flushing of all joints, fitting both ornate and paper faced cornices and other plaster mouldings. The wall and ceiling liner has the job of finishing the walls and ceilings to an agreed industry standard ready for sealing and painting.

It is a varied trade with opportunities to be self employed in an expanding skills area, that can give a feeling of satisfaction when you walk around a building you have finished and see it really taking shape.

Residential and or Commercial building sites in all areas of Adelaide and across the state, though wall and ceiling liners work inside mostly and so are protected from the weather, except in extreme cases. They can be dusty hazardous places for untrained workers and we usually work in association with many different trade to coordinate the lining of the walls and ceilings. In the residential sector workers usually only stay on one site for a relatively short period and then move on to the next job. The commercial workers can have much longer stays on each project up to a year on very large projects, hospitals, hotels and large nursing homes.

On site conditions vary considerably, and wall and ceiling liners may work indoors or outdoors, on scaffolding or ladders, and sometimes in physically awkward positions, depending on the nature of the job. Employment opportunities exist in wall and ceiling companies, residential and commercial, but with a Certificate III and extra business training behind you, you can also venture into self employment. Being your own boss, has, ''enormous potential.'' But be cautious, licensing and small business training is essential. It will largely be up to these self employed individuals to generate business for themselves.

This is an industry where the ability to promote one's skills is vitally important and you'll need to be prepared to 'get out there' and promote your work to interested individuals. Although running your own business can be stressful, the hours are more flexible. The capabilities of self employed wall and ceiling liners have to include keeping up to date with the latest industry trends, OH&S requirements, bookkeeping, customer service, ordering, delivery of materials and equipment, quality control, management of staff and possible payroll and PAYE tax administration and, contract negotiation, budgeting and advertising skills.