Will AI replace Plasterers?

Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 76 official task statements scored for Plasterers (United Kingdom, SOC 5321), 0% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 4 out of 100 (range 3–8, band: minimal). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.

Which tasks in “Plasterers” can AI already do?

The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Identify and confirm masonry requirements against surveys, job sheets, and specifications in accordance with Building Regulations” (49/100, partial); “Interpret the appropriate work plan for the job, considering factors like building age, listed status, and accessibility” (49/100, partial); “Estimate the quantity and type of materials needed” (38/100, low). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.

Which tasks in “Plasterers” stay human?

About 98% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Sprinkle coloured marble, stone chips, powdered steel, or colouring powder over surface to produce a specific finish” (0/100, minimal); “Locate, handle, store, load, transport and position materials and tools safely, minimising damage and complying with health and safety regulations” (0/100, minimal); “Guide unloading tasks with consideration for safety and others” (0/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.

What should someone working in “Plasterers” do about AI?

Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 0% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 98% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.

How is the AI exposure score for Plasterers calculated?

Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 76 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.

UK dataswitch to US

Plasterers

attaching panels to timber, creating junctions, abutments and angles in line with specifications and manufacturer's instructions and installing and repairing metal wall furrings as part of framed wall linings. If that's your week, this page is about your job.

The honest answer

AI changes the edges of this job, not the middle: applying one and two coat plastering systems to plain and window walls and ceilings is work software can't reach.

Your move: what you can actually do about this ↓

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI: 0%
changing shape: 2%
staying human: 98%

These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.

Whole-job exposure score 4 out of 100 (3–8 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, across 76 scored tasks. The number is the support for the sentence above it, not a headline about anyone’s future.

How we know this

What is measured: Every published task statement for plasterers is rated on five dimensions: can a model produce the output, does the work need a body in a room, does it need a legally accountable person, does it depend on a person being trusted in the moment, and how much data exists. A published formula turns those five ratings into the score; the model never writes the number.

How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.

Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.

What shifts is identifying and confirming masonry requirements against surveys: the overhead at the edges, not the middle you trained for.

Your week, as this page understands it

Plasterers apply dry linings, plaster and cement mixtures to walls and ceilings, fix fibrous sheets and cast and fix ornamental plasterwork to the interior or exterior of buildings. The job title says “plasterers”. The real job is the part underneath: applying one and two coat plastering systems to plain and window walls and ceilings. That is the thing someone has to be right about.

The exposed part of this job is specific, and we won’t pretend it is coming back. But plasterers is not one task. It is 76 scored ones, and they are nowhere near equally exposed. The most durable of them, on this evidence, is applying one and two coat plastering systems to plain and window walls and ceilings, and the ledger below shows exactly why.

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI: 0%
changing shape: 2%
staying human: 98%

These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.

How we know this

How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.

Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.

Your job, task by task

These are the official task statements for this occupation, in plain English, sorted by what the evidence says is happening to each one. The official wording sits under every line so you can check the rewrite against it.

23 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.

Shifting to AI

0 tasks

Tasks today’s tools can already do most of. This is the part we will not soften: where these rows are the bulk of your week, the week changes.

Nothing in this job’s scored task list landed in this group. That is the measurement, not an editorial choice, and it is worth knowing either way.

Changing shape

2 tasks

Tasks where the machine takes the producing and a person keeps the checking, the deciding, or the answering-for-it. For most jobs this is the biggest group, and it is where "transformation, not termination" is literally visible.

Identifying and confirming masonry requirements against surveys
The software now makes the first pass at masonry requirements against surveys, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 60 · 5321/02
Source: “Identify and confirm masonry requirements against surveys, job sheets, and specifications in accordance with Building Regulations.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 49 out of 100 (42–56 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Checking what the job needs against surveys, job sheets and Building Regulations is document work software handles well.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Interpreting the appropriate work plan for the job
The software now makes the first pass at the appropriate work plan, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 55 · 5321/02
Source: “Interpret the appropriate work plan for the job, considering factors like building age, listed status, and accessibility.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 49 out of 100 (42–56 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Working out the right approach from building age, listed status and access is research and reading, which software supports well.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

Staying human

74 tasks

Tasks that stay with a person, because they happen in the physical world, because the rules need someone accountable, or because the value is that a specific person does them.

Applying one and two coat plastering systems to plain and window walls and ceilings
This work happens in the physical world: one, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 85 · 5321/01, 5321/02
Source: “Apply one and two coat plastering systems to plain and window walls and ceilings.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Putting coats of plaster on walls and ceilings is hands-on work with a trowel.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Cutting and fixing plasterboard mechanically and by direct bond according to drawings and specifications
This work happens in the physical world: plasterboard, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 90 · 5321/01, 5321/02
Source: “Cut and fix plasterboard mechanically and by direct bond according to drawings and specifications.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Cutting and fixing plasterboard is hands-on work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Mixing mortar and plaster to desired consistency
This work happens in the physical world: mortar, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 5321/01, 5321/02
Source: “Mix mortar and plaster to desired consistency.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Judging when a mix is right is done by feel at the mixing board.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Preparing background substrates for internal solid plastering
This work happens in the physical world: background substrates, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 85 · 5321/01, 5321/02
Source: “Prepare background substrates for internal solid plastering, dry lining and external rendering.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Getting a surface ready to take plaster or render is hands-on preparation.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Applying sealing compound over cracks
This work happens in the physical world: compound over cracks, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 75 · 5321/01, 5321/02
Source: “Apply sealing compound over cracks, holes, and fastener heads with broadknives or spatulas.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Filling cracks and fixing heads is done by hand with a blade.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Mixing mortar manually or using a mechanical mixer
This work happens in the physical world: mortar, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 75 · 5321/01, 5321/02
Source: “Mix mortar manually or using a mechanical mixer.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Mixing mortar is physical site work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Aiding plasterers in mixing and applying plaster
This work happens in the physical world: plasterers, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 5321/01, 5321/02
Source: “Aid plasterers in mixing and applying plaster.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Mixing and applying plaster alongside a plasterer is physical labour.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Curing freshly plastered surfaces
This work happens in the physical world: plastered surfaces, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 5321/01, 5321/02
Source: “Cure freshly plastered surfaces.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Controlling how fresh plaster dries means being on site adjusting the conditions.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

Show the other 66 tasks

Estimating the quantity and type of materials
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: the quantity, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 5321/01, 5321/02
Source: “Estimate the quantity and type of materials needed.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 38 out of 100 (31–45 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Working out how much plaster a room needs is a calculation software does well, once someone has measured the space.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Selecting appropriate plastering materials and additives to meet specifications and manufacturer instructions
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: appropriate plastering materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 65 · 5321/02
Source: “Select appropriate plastering materials and additives to meet specifications and manufacturer instructions.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 38 out of 100 (31–45 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Manufacturer specifications are well documented and easy to match, though judging the substrate means being on site.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Selecting appropriate additives and reinforcements for the mixture
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: appropriate additives, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 5321/02
Source: “Select appropriate additives and reinforcements for the mixture.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 38 out of 100 (31–45 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Choosing additives and reinforcements follows published guidance, though site conditions still need a look.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Ensuring compliance with quality standards and site specifications
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: compliance, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 75 · 5321/01
Source: “Ensure compliance with quality standards and site specifications.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 29 out of 100 (22–36 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: The standards and checks can be set out automatically, but judging the finish against them means being at the wall.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Checking adhesives for effectiveness and durability
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: adhesives, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 65 · 5321/01
Source: “Check adhesives for effectiveness and durability.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 29 out of 100 (22–36 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Manufacturer data on adhesives is easy to look up, but judging how one is holding means checking the wall.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Ensuring tasks and projects comply with company policies
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: tasks, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 65 · 5321/02
Source: “Ensure tasks and projects comply with company policies, client specifications, and industry standards.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 29 out of 100 (22–36 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Specifications and checklists can be prepared automatically, but judging whether the finished work matches them means seeing it.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Interpreting design sketches, specifications or drawings to install interior wall systems
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: design sketches, specifications or drawings, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 75 · 5321/01
Source: “Interpret design sketches, specifications, or drawings to install interior wall systems.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 25 out of 100 (18–32 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Reading the drawings can be assisted by software, but fitting the wall system out is hands-on.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Efficientlying use resources
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: use resources, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 5321/02
Source: “Efficiently use resources for painting, plastering, and tiling, ensuring minimal wastage and meeting all requirements.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 13 out of 100 (6–20 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Planning quantities can be calculated, but keeping waste down happens through how the work is actually done.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Disposing of waste according to the appropriate code of practice
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: waste, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 50 · 5321/02
Source: “Dispose of waste according to the appropriate code of practice.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 13 out of 100 (6–20 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Waste paperwork can be generated automatically, but the waste itself has to be handled and taken away.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Carrying out interim and final inspections of the work and work area
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: interim, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 5321/02
Source: “Carry out interim and final inspections of the work and work area.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 8 out of 100 (1–15 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Judging whether plaster is flat and properly finished means looking along the wall and feeling it in person.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Ensuring regular maintenance of tools and equipment for operational efficiency
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: regular maintenance of tools, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 55 · 5321/02
Source: “Ensure regular maintenance of tools and equipment for operational efficiency.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 8 out of 100 (4–12 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Looking after tools and equipment means handling and servicing them.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Restoring existing mouldings, considering different types, materials and appropriateness to building structure and age
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: mouldings, considering different types, materials and appropriateness, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 5321/02
Source: “Restore existing mouldings, considering different types, materials and appropriateness to building structure and age.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 6 out of 100 (0–13 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Software can help research a building's age and mouldings, but restoring them is skilled hand work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Attaching panels to timber, metal frames or ceiling joists using special studs
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: panels, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 90 · 5321/01
Source: “Attach panels to timber, metal frames or ceiling joists using special studs.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fixing panels to frames and joists is hands-on work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Creating builders work holes and openings for windows and doors
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: builders work holes, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 85 · 5321/01
Source: “Create builders work holes and openings for windows and doors.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Cutting openings into the fabric of a building is physical work on site.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Cutting panels to fit around doorways
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: panels, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 85 · 5321/01
Source: “Cut panels to fit around doorways.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Cutting boards to fit an opening happens with tools in hand.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Installing and repairing metal stud partitions according to design details
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: metal stud partitions, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 85 · 5321/01
Source: “Install and repair metal stud partitions according to design details, specifications, and best practice guidelines.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fixing metal stud partitions is physical building work whatever the drawings say.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Installing suspended ceiling systems, proprietary, concealed and exposed mineral or metal grid ceilings
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: suspended ceiling systems, proprietary, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 85 · 5321/01
Source: “Install suspended ceiling systems including proprietary, concealed, and exposed mineral or metal grid ceilings.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Installing suspended ceiling grids is physical work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Applying a thin layer of plaster over the tape
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: a thin layer of plaster over the tape, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 5321/01
Source: “Apply a thin layer of plaster over the tape, a process known as skimming.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Skimming a wall is a hand skill built up over years of practice.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Countersinking nails or screws below surfaces of walls before applying sealing compounds
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: nails, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 5321/01
Source: “Countersink nails or screws below surfaces of walls before applying sealing compounds, using hammers or screwdrivers.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Driving fixings below the surface is done by hand with a hammer or screwdriver.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Creating openings for windows in panels
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: openings, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 5321/01
Source: “Create openings for windows in panels.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Cutting window openings in panels is physical work on the board.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Installing and relocating modular demountable partition systems in accordance with manufacturers guidelines and specification
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: modular demountable partition systems, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 5321/01
Source: “Install and relocate modular demountable partition systems in accordance with manufacturers guidelines and specification.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fitting and moving demountable partitions means lifting and fixing panels in place.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Installing metal furring ceilings and bulkheads according to specifications and manufacturers' instructions
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: metal furring ceilings, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 5321/01
Source: “Install metal furring ceilings and bulkheads according to specifications and manufacturers' instructions.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Installing metal furring and bulkheads is hands-on work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Sanding or patching nicks or cracks in plasterboard or wallboard
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: nicks, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 5321/01
Source: “Sand or patch nicks or cracks in plasterboard or wallboard.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Sanding and patching wallboard is physical repair work on the surface.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Creating junctions, abutments and angles in line with specifications and manufacturer's instructions
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: junctions, abutments and angles, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 75 · 5321/01
Source: “Create junctions, abutments, and angles in line with specifications and manufacturer's instructions.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Forming junctions, abutments and angles is a hand skill worked directly on the wall.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Installing and repairing metal wall furrings as part of framed wall linings
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: metal wall furrings, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 75 · 5321/01
Source: “Install and repair metal wall furrings as part of framed wall linings.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fixing metal furrings to a wall is physical installation work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Sanding down areas in preparation for painting and decorating
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: areas, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 75 · 5321/01
Source: “Sand down areas in preparation for painting and decorating.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Sanding a surface smooth before decorating is manual work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Spreading sealing compound between boards or panels using trowels
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: compound, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 75 · 5321/01, 5321/02
Source: “Spread sealing compound between boards or panels using trowels.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Spreading sealing compound with a trowel is a hand skill.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Applying texturizing compounds or primers to walls or ceilings before final finishing
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: compounds, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 5321/01, 5321/02
Source: “Apply texturizing compounds or primers to walls or ceilings before final finishing, using trowels, brushes, rollers, or spray guns.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Applying texture or primer by trowel, brush or spray is hands-on work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Fixing trims and mouldings to form junctions
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: trims, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 5321/01
Source: “Fix trims and mouldings to form junctions.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fixing trims and mouldings is hands-on work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Installing glass panels and blinds in partition walls
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: glass panels, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 5321/01
Source: “Install glass panels and blinds in partition walls.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fitting glass panels and blinds into partitions is physical installation.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Installing plywood pattresses according to specifications and manufacturers' instructions
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: plywood pattresses, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 5321/01
Source: “Install plywood pattresses according to specifications and manufacturers' instructions.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fixing plywood backing into a wall is hands-on carpentry.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Measuring and marking out interior systems projects following industry standards
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: interior systems projects following industry standards, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 5321/01
Source: “Measure and mark out interior systems projects following industry standards.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Measuring and setting out a room is done on site with a tape.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Roughing the undercoat surface with a scratcher to ensure the finish coat adheres
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: the undercoat surface, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 5321/01, 5321/02
Source: “Rough the undercoat surface with a scratcher to ensure the finish coat adheres.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Scratching the undercoat so the finish grips is done by hand on the wall.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Sanding rough spots to ensure that finishes will adhere properly
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: rough spots, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 5321/01
Source: “Sand rough spots to ensure that finishes will adhere properly.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Sanding rough spots is hands-on preparation done at the surface.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Using filler or adhesive to seal joints
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: filler, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 5321/01
Source: “Use filler or adhesive to seal joints.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Sealing joints with filler or adhesive is manual work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Fitting integral glass, frames, trims and mouldings
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: integral glass, frames, trims and mouldings, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 65 · 5321/01
Source: “Fit integral glass, frames, trims, and mouldings.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fitting glass, frames, trims and mouldings is physical work with tools.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Installing ornamental plaster pieces, panels or trimming
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: ornamental plaster pieces, panels, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 65 · 5321/01, 5321/02
Source: “Install ornamental plaster pieces, panels, or trim.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fixing ornamental plasterwork in place is skilled hand work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Removing excess filler after surfaces have been sufficiently
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: excess filler after surfaces, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 65 · 5321/01, 5321/02
Source: “Remove excess filler after surfaces have been sufficiently covered.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Wiping back surplus filler is done by hand as the work goes on.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Sealing joints between ceiling tiles and walls
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: joints, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 65 · 5321/01
Source: “Seal joints between ceiling tiles and walls.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Sealing the gap between ceiling tiles and walls is done by hand at the joint.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Nailing wire mesh, lath or similar materials to the outside surface to hold render in place
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: wire mesh, lath or similar materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 5321/01, 5321/02
Source: “Nail wire mesh, lath, or similar materials to the outside surface to hold render in place.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Nailing mesh or lath to a wall is physical fixing work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Removing water from surfaces to prevent damage
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: water, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 5321/01
Source: “Remove water from surfaces to prevent damage.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Getting water off a surface before it does damage means being there with the right kit.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Setting up pasteboards and scaffolding for construction tasks
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: pasteboards, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 5321/01, 5321/02
Source: “Set up pasteboards and scaffolding for construction tasks.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Erecting boards and scaffolding is heavy physical work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Using ladders and scaffolding to complete work
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: ladders, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 5321/01
Source: “Use ladders and scaffolding to complete work.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Working from ladders and scaffolding is physical presence at height.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Cleaning machines to maintain a clean and safe job site
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: machines, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 50 · 5321/01, 5321/02
Source: “Clean machines to maintain a clean and safe job site.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Cleaning machines to keep the site safe is manual work on the equipment.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Maintaining cleanliness of work area
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: cleanliness of work area, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 50 · 5321/01
Source: “Maintain cleanliness of work area.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Keeping the work area tidy is physical work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Applying and finishing a range of plastering and rendering systems according to specifications
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: a range, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 90 · 5321/02
Source: “Apply and finish a range of plastering and rendering systems according to specifications.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Applying and finishing plaster and render systems is trowel work on the wall.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Applying and finishing a range of rendering systems to external elevations
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: a range of rendering systems, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 85 · 5321/02
Source: “Apply and finish a range of rendering systems to external elevations.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Rendering an outside elevation is physical work at height on the building.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Finishing plasterboard surfaces by tape and joint or finishing plasters
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: plasterboard surfaces, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 85 · 5321/02
Source: “Finish plasterboard surfaces by tape and joint or finishing plasters.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Taping, jointing and finishing plasterboard is a hands-on trade skill.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Applying ancillary works according to drawings and specifications e.g. lathing
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: ancillary works, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 5321/02
Source: “Apply ancillary works according to drawings and specifications e.g. lathing, beads and trims.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fixing lathing, beads and trims to the drawings is hands-on installation.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Cutting and fixing a range of standard and thin coat beads/trims for internal plastering to form true surfaces like corners/returns
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: a range of standard, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 5321/02
Source: “Cut and fix a range of standard and thin coat beads/trims for internal plastering to form true surfaces like corners/returns for openings.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Cutting and fixing beads to form true corners is precise hand work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Installing dry lining
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: dry, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 5321/02
Source: “Install dry lining.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Dry lining is a hands-on trade skill.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Preparing surfaces and level off uneven areas
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: surfaces, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 5321/02
Source: “Prepare surfaces and level off uneven areas.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Levelling and preparing a surface is physical work carried out on site.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Fixing and forming stops/expansion joints and bell casts for external rendering to create drips for weathering
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: stops/expansion joints, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 75 · 5321/02
Source: “Fix and form stops/expansion joints and bell casts for external rendering to create drips for weathering.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Forming joints and bell casts in render is shaped by hand on site.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Repairing existing plasterwork to restore it to its original state
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: plasterwork, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 75 · 5321/02
Source: “Repair existing plasterwork to restore it to its original state.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Repairing old plasterwork to match is a hand skill worked directly on the surface.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Applying weatherproof, decorative coverings to exterior surfaces of buildings
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: weatherproof, decorative coverings, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 5321/02
Source: “Apply weatherproof, decorative coverings to exterior surfaces of buildings, such as by trowelling or spraying on coats of stucco.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Trowelling or spraying weatherproof coatings onto a building is physical outdoor work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Coat outside walls with protective coverings like pebble-dash or render
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: outside walls, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 5321/02
Source: “Coat outside walls with protective coverings like pebble-dash or render.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Applying pebble-dash or render to outside walls is hands-on.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Installing a range of cast mouldings according to drawings and customer requirements
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: a range of cast mouldings, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 5321/02
Source: “Install a range of cast mouldings according to drawings and customer requirements, such as arches and columns.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fitting cast arches and columns into place is heavy, precise physical work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Preparing the work site by setting out the work and selecting materials
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: the work site, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 5321/02
Source: “Prepare the work site by setting out the work and selecting materials, tools, and equipment appropriate for the project.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Setting out the work and getting materials and tools ready happens physically on site.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Casting mouldings from a range of materials
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: mouldings, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 65 · 5321/02
Source: “Cast mouldings from a range of materials including fibrous plaster, GRG and GRC (glass fibre reinforced cement).” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Casting mouldings from plaster or glass-reinforced materials is workshop craft.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Constructing positive or negative running moulds according to specifications and drawings
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: positive, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 5321/02
Source: “Construct positive or negative running moulds according to specifications and drawings.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Building running moulds to a drawing is workshop hand work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Maintaining the work area according to safety and environmental standards
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: the work area, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 5321/02
Source: “Maintain the work area according to safety and environmental standards.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Keeping the work area clean and safe is physical work in the kitchen.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Clearing away leftover materials upon project completion
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: away leftover materials upon project completion, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 55 · 5321/02
Source: “Clear away leftover materials upon project completion.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Clearing leftover materials off a finished job is physical labour.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Using all access platforms
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: all access platforms, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 55 · 5321/02
Source: “Use all access platforms as necessary, ensuring compliance with health and safety and legal requirements.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Working from towers and platforms is physical work at height.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Guiding unloading tasks with consideration for safety
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: tasks, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 50 · 5321/02
Source: “Guide unloading tasks with consideration for safety and others.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Guiding an unload safely means standing there directing it.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Locating, handling, storing, loading, transporting and positioning materials and tools safely
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 50 · 5321/02
Source: “Locate, handle, store, load, transport and position materials and tools safely, minimising damage and complying with health and safety regulations.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Lifting, moving and setting down materials safely is physical work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Sprinkling coloured marble, stone chips, powdered steel or colouring powder over surface to produce a specific finish
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: coloured marble, stone chips, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 50 · 5321/02
Source: “Sprinkle coloured marble, stone chips, powdered steel, or colouring powder over surface to produce a specific finish.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Throwing chips or colour onto a wet surface to get a finish is a hand technique.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

What this job pays, and how many people do it

Median pay: £34,000a year, before tax, the middle of the range, so half earn more and half earn less.ashe-t14, 2025 · ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025)Provisional, because the ONS revises this figure in the autumn.
How we know this
Source: ashe-t14
Reference period: ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025)
Rounding: Shown to the nearest £100. The exact published figure is in the downloadable dataset. We do not render pounds the survey cannot support.
People doing this job: 38,800in the UK, 2026.nomis-aps · Apr 2025-Mar 2026 (latest APS 12-month period)This headcount comes from a survey, not a census, so treat it as a good estimate rather than an exact count.

What is deliberately not here: a forecast of how many of these jobs exist in ten years. Where an official projection exists for a market we publish it with its vintage; where it does not, we leave the space empty rather than borrow the other country’s number.

Why this is shifting

The reason is boringly specific. Most of what is shifting here is reading one thing and writing another: masonry requirements against surveys in, a record out. The rows above are exactly that shape: identifying and confirming masonry requirements against surveys. What it cannot do is be there in the room, and that is still where one gets done. Which is why this page talks about your tasks changing, not your job ending.

Your move

Over a pint: what I’d tell you if you were my friend

Start with what does not change: applying one and two coat plastering systems to plain and window walls and ceilings is the middle of this job, and the evidence on this page says it stays with a person.

So, given all that: 0% of this job's task weight sits in rows the software is already learning, 2% in rows that change shape rather than disappear, and 98% in rows it is nowhere near. That is the position, measured across 76 scored tasks. It is not a forecast about you.

So the thing worth your attention is not the job going away. It is the layer around it. Identifying and confirming masonry requirements against surveys is the part turning into software, and being the person who understands that layer is worth money.

This week: one thing

Ask the one question. Find whoever is bringing new software into your workplace (the manager, the office, whoever runs the system) and ask them what it is meant to do to masonry requirements against surveys, and what it is not meant to touch. Ten minutes, this week, before anyone decides it for you.

What you end up holding: a straight answer about what is actually being rolled out, and when
How long it takes: ten minutes

If there’s nobody obvious to ask, or you’d rather not ask your manager: Put the same question to your union rep, your shift lead or the person who has been there longest, in person, over a break. Same ten minutes, same answer, and you will usually get a straighter one. Write down what they say. The note is the artifact, and it tells you whether one is in scope or not. Nothing to log into, no licence needed.

Over the next 90 days

Get inside the tool rollout rather than waiting for it. Over the next ninety days, ask to be in the group that tests, checks or signs off whatever new system arrives near identifying and confirming masonry requirements against surveys. It is usually an unglamorous seat that nobody fights for, and it is the one that decides how the software is used on your job rather than to it.

Over the next 12 months

On this evidence I would not retrain out of this job, and I will say that plainly rather than hedge it. The task list here is dominated by work that stays with a person. What I would do with a year is get formally recognised for the layer around it (the systems, the compliance, the planning), so you are the one who understands the software instead of the one it is done to. Before you pay for anything, spend an hour with National Careers Service. It is free and government-funded, and it is listed below with the rest of the free routes.

The roads out of here, and why I am not sending you down them

I looked at the obvious moves out of this job, and here is what I found.

I checked the 12 nearest UK occupations to plasterers (nearest by the work that AI is not taking, not by job title), and none of them survived. The closest was floorers and wall tilers: only about 5% of its durable work is work you already do. And on the numbers you do not need one. This job scores 4/100 here, with only 0% of the task list in the top band, and “apply one and two coat plastering systems to plain and window walls…” is not work that hands over cleanly. None of them beats deepening what you already have.

How that was checked: this job was compared against all 412 UK occupations in this release on their official task statements, and the 12 nearest were examined one by one. A move that turns on an industry, an employer or a qualification rather than on the work itself will not show up in a check like that. And this release carries no licence register, so anything you are weighing needs that looked up separately.

3 moves I checked and rejected

These are the obvious-looking jumps. They are here with their reasons rather than quietly dropped, because the ones that fail are worth knowing about. It is one less thing to turn over at night.

Floorers and wall tilers
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “prepare surfaces and level off uneven areas”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 5% of the work in that job the software is not taking.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 5% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step.
Look at that job’s page anyway →
Painters and decorators
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “prepare surfaces and level off uneven areas”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 5% of the work in that job the software is not taking.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 5% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step.
Look at that job’s page anyway →
Construction operatives n.e.c.
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “cut and fix plasterboard mechanically and by direct bond according to drawings and specifications”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 4% of the work in that job the software is not taking.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 4% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step.
Look at that job’s page anyway →

What I’d stop worrying about

A friend tells you what not to spend fear on. This is that list.

The headline number you read somewhere
The big “X% of jobs” figures are about the whole economy, not about you. The number that describes your job is on this page: 0% of its task weight, across 76 scored tasks. Every row behind it is printed above with the source. Check ours; ignore theirs.
The headlines about your trade disappearing
They are usually about the technology, not the timetable. Changes to work like applying one and two coat plastering systems to plain and window walls and ceilings arrive through rules, insurance and money, slowly and visibly. This page tracks the task evidence and will move when it moves.
Retraining out of a job that is holding up
On this evidence I would not spend money leaving. Spend it on the layer around the job instead: the tools, the paperwork, the planning. That is where the change actually is.
The “obvious” next job everyone suggests
I checked the obvious moves and most of them did not survive. The reasons are printed with the routes above, including the pay and the gate. A move that fails on the numbers is worth knowing about so you can stop turning it over at night.

You are reading the United Kingdom figures

The United States splits this work across more than one official group, of which Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers is the closest. The pay and employment figures are not directly comparable, and we do not average them together.

Switch to the United States page →partial match

The other groups this work is counted across:

In US official statistics this job is counted as Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers, Tapers and Plasterers and Stucco Masons. Pay is shown separately for each of those groups (medians cannot be averaged together), while the task list and the scores on this page are for this group only.

Your route through this

Where to go next, and what it costs

Free, and complete

The moves above cost nothing. These are the real services that go with them: public, government-funded, and free at the point of use. Nothing on this page is behind an email address or a payment.

In England:
National Careers Service
A free hour with a government-funded careers adviser is worth more than another evening of reading. In England that's the National Careers Service.
Free, government-funded
- Discover your skills and careers (the skills assessment)
In England:
National Careers Service - Find a course
Search what's actually running near you before you spend anything.
Free to search; individual courses vary
In England:
Free courses for jobs (Level 3 qualifications)
A free Level 3 qualification you already qualify for beats a paid course you don't need.
Free for eligible adults
In England:
Skills Bootcamps
Free, up to 16 weeks, and you get a job interview at the end. In England these are Skills Bootcamps - search what's running near you.
Free for eligible adults in England
- Skills Bootcamps - what they are and who can do them (DfE, Skills for Careers)
- Skills Bootcamps - JobHelp (DWP)
In Scotland:
My World of Work (Skills Development Scotland)
In Scotland it's My World of Work, from Skills Development Scotland.
Free, publicly funded
- Skills Development Scotland
In Wales:
Careers Wales
In Wales it's Careers Wales.
Free, Welsh Government-funded
In Northern Ireland:
Careers Service Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland it's the Careers Service on nidirect.
Free, Department for the Economy-funded

Why there is no community here

Collab365, who build this site, run paid Spaces for a small number of subjects, and none of them is built for this job. We are not going to point you at the nearest one and call it a fit.

So the free services listed on this page are the whole answer, and it is the same answer we would give a friend.

Noted, and thank you. We’ll email you if a Space for plasterers launches. Nothing else.

That did not look like an email address, so nothing was saved. Have another go below.

We could not save that. The fault is ours, not yours, and your address was not stored. Please try again later.

No Space for plasterers yet. Should there be one?

Collab365 Spaces is built by the same people as this site. We find the problems that AI and automation are creating inside one kind of work, then solve them as short courses, briefings and Blueprints. Each Space is the community too, so the research and the people doing your job are in the same place.

What a Space actually is, in full

Collab365 launches new communities where the need is real. If one for plasterers existed, with researched problems, courses and people in the same boat, would you want in?

Your email

We use your email address for one thing: to tell you if a Space for plasterers launches. We never sell it, never use it for unrelated marketing, and every email has a one-click unsubscribe. Our privacy policy has the full version.

This unlocks nothing. Every figure, every row and every step on this page is already yours, whether you fill this in or not.

No deadline on any of this. The page will still be here, and the data is refreshed on a published schedule rather than when someone wants a headline.

Questions people ask about this job

Will AI replace Plasterers?: Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 76 official task statements scored for Plasterers (United Kingdom, SOC 5321), 0% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 4 out of 100 (range 3–8, band: minimal). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.
Which tasks in “Plasterers” can AI already do?: The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Identify and confirm masonry requirements against surveys, job sheets, and specifications in accordance with Building Regulations” (49/100, partial); “Interpret the appropriate work plan for the job, considering factors like building age, listed status, and accessibility” (49/100, partial); “Estimate the quantity and type of materials needed” (38/100, low). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.
Which tasks in “Plasterers” stay human?: About 98% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Sprinkle coloured marble, stone chips, powdered steel, or colouring powder over surface to produce a specific finish” (0/100, minimal); “Locate, handle, store, load, transport and position materials and tools safely, minimising damage and complying with health and safety regulations” (0/100, minimal); “Guide unloading tasks with consideration for safety and others” (0/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.
What should someone working in “Plasterers” do about AI?: Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 0% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 98% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.
How is the AI exposure score for Plasterers calculated?: Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 76 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.

Where these numbers come from

About the data on this page

Provisional, because the ONS revises this figure in the autumn.
This headcount comes from a survey, not a census, so treat it as a good estimate rather than an exact count.
The match between this job and its counterpart in the other country is partial, so the two pages count slightly different groups of people.
23 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.

Task statements: gaisi-indexProcessing: catalogue-bridge → ssc-relatedness-weighting → task-scoring → score-aggregation
Task weights: gaisi-index (relatedness)
Scores: Rubric task_scoring_v1.0, model claude-opus-5, computed 2026-08-05.
Pay and employment: ashe-t14 (ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025))nomis-aps (Apr 2025-Mar 2026 (latest APS 12-month period))

Figures on this page come from release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Every release keeps its own permanent address, so a figure you cite in March is still there, unchanged, in November.

The plain-English wording on this page is assembled directly from the task statements and the published ratings, not written by hand for this occupation. That is why it is specific, and it is also why we say so.

The routes and free resources further up are today’s, not the release’s (last reviewed 2026-08-05). A route is an offer, not a historical fact, so it moves on its own clock.

How we score a job Download this release Look up another job

Using these figures?

Cite this

Everything on this site is published under CC BY 4.0. Quote it, chart it, sell something built on it. Just say where it came from, and cite the dated release rather than the site, so the figure you quote stays checkable.

Plain text

Collab365 (2026). Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1 (methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0). https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Built with O*NET data (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); ONS data (Open Government Licence v3.0); GAISI task framework (arXiv:2507.22748, MIT); BLS data (public domain).

BibTeX

@misc{collab365futureproof2026q41,
  title        = {Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1},
  author       = {{Collab365}},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1},
  note         = {Release 2026-q4.1, methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0, CC BY 4.0}
}

Permalink

https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1

Data as of release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Releases never change after publication; when the figures move, a new dated release is published beside this one and this one stays exactly where it is.