A mastic asphalter spreads hot mastic asphalt (a material made of a mixture of limestone and bitumen) on horizontal or vertical surfaces, such as roofs, walls, floors, footbridges, car parks or swimming pools. The mixture cools and hardens to seal surfaces and make them waterproof.

The Work

You could be:

• measuring the area and calculating the amount of asphalt you need
• cleaning and preparing the area
• working as part of a team with a potman or potwoman, who melts the blocks of asphalt
• if necessary, adding colour
• fixing wooden battens as laying guides, applying the asphalt between the battens, using wooden hand floats, and smoothing it level with a trowel
• applying a second layer of asphalt
• sealing the joints and perhaps finishing the surface with tiles, sand, wood chippings or a reflective coating
• repairing or maintaining asphalt work.

Pay

The figures below are only a guide. Actual pay rates may vary, depending on:

• where you work
• the size of the company or organisation you work for
• the demand for the job.

As of June 2023 the Building and Allied Trades Joint Industrial Council (BATJIC) recommends the following rates for a 4-year apprenticeship based on a 39-hour week are:

Year 1 – £237.46 (£6.09 an hour)
Year 2 – £316.02 (£8.10 an hour)
Year 3 – £396.38 (£10.16 an hour)
Year 4 – £396.38 (£10.16 an hour) (without SCQF Level 6)
Year 4 – £419.27 (£10.75 an hour) (with SCQF Level 6).

Please note these rates may vary if the Apprentice is 21 years old or over and has completed the first year of their apprenticeship. National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) will apply.

Once qualified you may start on around £17,000 a year. With experience your salary could go up to £35,000 a year.

Conditions

• You work outdoors in all weathers, sometimes at heights.
• You work among fumes in dirty conditions.
• There is some risk of accidental burns.
• You might have to work overtime at evenings and weekends to meet deadlines, and hours could be longer in summer than in winter.
• You spend most of the time kneeling or standing.
• You would wear protective clothing – overalls, gloves, boots, knee pads and a hard hat.
• Some jobs are temporary, for a few weeks or months at a time.

Getting In

• The normal entry route is through a Modern Apprenticeship with an employer.
• You do not always need formal qualifications to enter this job, but some subjects at National 3, 4 or 5 including English and Maths may be useful. National 3 SfW Practical Experiences: Construction and Engineering may be relevant.
• You could study the Foundation Apprenticeship in Construction (SCQF Level 4 or 5) in S3-S6, which can help to get into a relevant Modern Apprenticeship. 
• You usually have to sit an aptitude test as part of the application process.
• A driving licence is useful and may be necessary.
• You should be fit, strong and agile.
• If you are working on roads you may be required to hold a Street Works qualification, depending on your role.
• You must hold a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or equivalent to work on a building site. You must pass a health and safety test to qualify for this scheme.

Look for a job with a local authority, a specialist roofing company or a firm of builders or civil engineers.

Job Outlook Scotland

Job Outlook Scotland and UK

  Scotland

2022

6380

0.5 %

RISE

2027

6410

  United Kingdom

2022

81393

2.3 %

RISE

2027

83272

LMI data powered by EMSI UK

What Does it Take?

You need to have:

• an awareness of health and safety regulations
• good practical skills
• good hand to eye co-ordination
• maths skills for making calculations
• a good head for heights.

You need to be able to:

• work neatly and carefully
• enjoy working out of doors
• work as part of a team.

Training

With on the job and off the job training, you would work towards a SVQ in Waterproof Membrane Roofing Systems (Construction) (Reinforced Bitumen Membrane Roofing) at SCQF Level 5.

Getting On

• With experience, you could move up to a supervisor job.
• If you want to work up to supervisor or manager, you could study for an HNC or HND in construction or relevant discipline.
• You could become self-employed, doing contract work.

More Information

For more information please see the organisations listed below:

• Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)
• Scottish Building Apprenticeship and Training Council (SBATC).

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Contacts

The following organisations may be able to provide further information.