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 woman 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.

There is a minimum wage for apprentices in Scotland. As of September 2017 the Scottish Building Apprenticeship and Training Council (SBATC) rates for a 4-year apprenticeship based on a 39-hour week are:

Year 1 – £165.75
Year 2 – £224.25
Year 3 – £292.50
Year 4 – £364.65.

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 £16,000 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 registered with the Scottish Building Apprenticeship Training Council (SBATC).
• You do not always need formal qualifications, but some employers ask for subjects at National 4 or 5 including English, Maths and a technological subject.
• You usually have to sit an aptitude test as part of the application process.
• A driving licence is useful and may be necessary.
• If you are working on roads you may be required to hold a Street Works qualification, depending on your role.
• You should be fit, strong and agile, with no allergies to dust or fumes.
• 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

2018

5672

0.3 %

RISE

2023

5689

  United Kingdom

2018

78916

1.6 %

RISE

2023

80201

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 to calculate the amount of asphalt needed for a job
• 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 Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) in Roofing Occupations (Construction) at SCQF Levels 5 and 6 and Waterproof Membrane Roofing (Construction) (Reinforced Bitumen Membrane Roofing) at SCQF level 5.

Getting On

• With experience, you could move into a supervisory job.
• If you want to progress to a supervisory or management role, you could study for a Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Higher National Diploma (HND) in construction or relevant discipline.
• You could become self-employed, doing contract work.

Contacts

The following organisations may be able to provide further information.