BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasDrywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

O*NET · 47-2081.00

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

Apply plasterboard or other wallboard to ceilings or interior walls of buildings. Apply or mount acoustical tiles or blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing materials to ceilings and walls of buildings to reduce or reflect sound. Materials may be of decorative quality. Includes lathers who fasten wooden, metal, or rockboard lath to walls, ceilings, or partitions of buildings to provide support base for plaster, fireproofing, or acoustical material.

Also called Acoustical Ceiling Installer · Acoustical Consultant · Acoustical Installer · Acoustical Specialist · Ceiling Installer · Drywall Application Specialist · Drywall Applicator · Drywall Boardhanger
36 more

Drywall Carrier · Drywall Contractor · Drywall Finisher · Drywall Hanger · Drywall Installer · Drywall Mechanic · Drywall Metal Stud Worker · Drywall Professional · Drywall Sander · Drywall Stripper · Drywall Tech · Drywall Technician (Drywall Tech) · Drywall Worker · Drywaller · Installer · Metal Framer · Metal Furrer · Metal Lather · Metal Stud Framer · Plaster Lather · Rock Lather · Rockboard Lather · Sheet Rock Applicator · Sheet Rock Applier · Sheet Rock Finisher · Sheet Rock Hanger · Sheet Rock Installer · Sheet Rock Layer · Sheet Rock Nailer · Sheet Rock Sander · Sheet Rock Worker · Sheetrock Applicator · Sheetrock Hanger · Sheetrock Installer · Wire Lather · Wood Lather

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCA35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCARealistic · Conventional · Artistic — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic7.00
  • C Conventional3.14
  • A Artistic2.30
  • I Investigative1.96
  • S Social1.18
  • E Enterprising1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma42%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent24%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate19%
  • Some College Courses10%
  • Bachelor's Degree5%
Related work experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (42%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (32%)
On-the-job training
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (35%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.02.6Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Coordination2.93.1Level 4 looks like: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
  • Monitoringbasic2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Time Management2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.92.5Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Speakingbasic2.92.3Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Active Listeningbasic2.82.4Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Complex Problem Solving2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Operation and Control2.52.4Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Operations Monitoring2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Quality Control Analysis2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
Show the other 23
  • Social Perceptiveness2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Equipment Selection2.41.9Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Mathematicsbasic2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Instructing2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Active Learningbasic2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Writingbasic2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Systems Analysis2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Troubleshooting2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Persuasion2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Service Orientation2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Systems Evaluation2.01.5Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Operations Analysis1.91.5Level 2 looks like: Select a printer for an office
  • Equipment Maintenance1.91.4Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Negotiation1.81.5Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Installation1.81.1Level 2 looks like: Install a new air filter in an air conditioner
  • Management of Material Resources1.80.8
  • Technology Design1.80.8
  • Repairing1.61.1Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Management of Financial Resources1.60.6
  • Sciencebasic1.1—
  • Programming1.0—

Tasks

18 core · 6 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Measure and mark surfaces to lay out work, according to blueprints or drawings, using tape measures, straightedges or squares, and marking devices.4.4
  2. Read blueprints or other specifications to determine methods of installation, work procedures, or material or tool requirements.4.4
  3. Fit and fasten wallboard or drywall into position on wood or metal frameworks, using glue, nails, or screws.4.2
  4. Measure and cut openings in panels or tiles for electrical outlets, windows, vents, plumbing, or other fixtures, using keyhole saws or other cutting tools.4.2
  5. Hang drywall panels on metal frameworks of walls and ceilings in offices, schools, or other large buildings, using lifts or hoists to adjust panel heights, when necessary.4.2
  6. Cut and screw together metal channels to make floor or ceiling frames, according to plans for the location of rooms or hallways.4.2
  7. Cut metal or wood framing and trim to size, using cutting tools.4.1
  8. Coordinate work with drywall finishers who cover the seams between drywall panels.4.0
  9. Trim rough edges from wallboard to maintain even joints, using knives.4.0
  10. Cut fixture or border tiles to size, using keyhole saws, and insert them into surrounding frameworks.4.0
  11. Install horizontal and vertical metal or wooden studs to frames so that wallboard can be attached to interior walls.3.9
  12. Fasten metal or rockboard lath to the structural framework of walls, ceilings, or partitions of buildings, using nails, screws, staples, or wire-ties.3.9
Show the other 12
  1. Install blanket insulation between studs and tack plastic moisture barriers over insulation.3.8
  2. Assemble or install metal framing or decorative trim for windows, doorways, or vents.3.6
  3. Scribe and cut edges of tile to fit walls where wall molding is not specified.3.6
  4. Hang dry lines to wall moldings to guide positioning of main runners.3.4
  5. Apply or mount acoustical tile or blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing materials to ceilings or walls of buildings to reduce reflection of sound or to decorate rooms.3.3
  6. Remove existing plaster, drywall, or paneling, using crowbars and hammers.3.3
  7. Suspend angle iron grids or channel irons from ceilings, using wire.3.3
  8. Seal joints between ceiling tiles and walls.3.2
  9. Inspect furrings, mechanical mountings, or masonry surfaces for plumbness and level, using spirit or water levels.3.0
  10. Install metal lath where plaster applications will be exposed to weather or water, or for curved or irregular surfaces.2.9
  11. Nail channels or wood furring strips to surfaces to provide mounting for tile.2.8
  12. Mount tile, using adhesives, or by nailing, screwing, stapling, or wire-tying lath directly to structural frameworks.2.6

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Building and Construction4.55.3Level 4 looks like: Fix a plumbing leak in the ceiling
  • Mathematics3.53.1Level 4 looks like: Analyze data to determine areas with the highest sales
  • Mechanical3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Replace a valve on a steam pipe
  • Public Safety and Security3.22.9
  • Administration and Management3.12.9
  • Design3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Design plans for remodeling a kitchen
  • English Language3.02.6
  • Customer and Personal Service2.72.9
Show all 33
  • Engineering and Technology2.72.9
  • Production and Processing2.52.4Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Transportation2.52.2Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Education and Training2.42.1Level 1 looks like: Show someone how to bowl
  • Sales and Marketing2.42.2Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Economics and Accounting2.31.4Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.22.1Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Administrative2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Foreign Language2.01.4Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Law and Government2.01.3Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Physics2.01.7Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Computers and Electronics1.81.3Level 1 looks like: Operate a media player to watch a training video
  • Psychology1.81.7Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Chemistry1.71.4Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Geography1.71.3Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.71.1Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Therapy and Counseling1.61.3Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Telecommunications1.50.7Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.40.7Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • History and Archeology1.3—
  • Biology1.2—
  • Communications and Media1.2—
  • Food Production1.2—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.1—
  • Fine Arts1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.63.1Level 4 looks like: Thread a needle
  • Extent Flexibility3.63.9Level 4 looks like: Reach for a box on a high warehouse shelf
  • Manual Dexterity3.63.3Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Near Vision3.63.3Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Trunk Strength3.63.3Level 4 looks like: Shovel snow for half an hour
  • Gross Body Equilibrium3.53.3Level 4 looks like: Walk on ice across a pond
  • Finger Dexterity3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Attach small dials to audio equipment on an assembly line
  • Oral Expression3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Place an order at a restaurant drive-thru
Show all 52
  • Static Strength3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Pull a 40-pound sack of fertilizer across the lawn
  • Visualization3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Follow a diagram to assemble a metal storage cabinet
  • Control Precision3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Information Ordering3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Multilimb Coordination3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Oral Comprehension3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Understand a television commercial
  • Selective Attention3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Stamina3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Climb 6 flights of stairs
  • Deductive Reasoning3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Far Vision3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Perceptual Speed3.02.6Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Problem Sensitivity3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Speech Recognition3.02.5Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Dynamic Strength2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Gross Body Coordination2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Inductive Reasoning2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Written Comprehension2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Category Flexibility2.82.8Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Depth Perception2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Reaction Time2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Flexibility of Closure2.62.4Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Speech Clarity2.62.4Level 1 looks like: Call numbers in a bingo game
  • Fluency of Ideas2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Time Sharing2.52.4Level 2 looks like: Listen to music while entering numbers into a spreadsheet
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.52.6
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.41.9Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Written Expression2.42.5Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Explosive Strength2.31.4Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Originality2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Rate Control2.31.8Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Spatial Orientation2.31.8Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Auditory Attention2.12.3Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Number Facility2.12.1Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Speed of Closure2.11.9
  • Speed of Limb Movement2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Glare Sensitivity2.01.4Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Memorization2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Response Orientation2.01.9Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Peripheral Vision1.90.9
  • Night Vision1.80.8
  • Sound Localization1.80.8
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.50.6

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.64.9Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.34.4Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Getting Information4.23.1Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Handling and Moving Objects4.26.5Level 7 looks like: Load boxes on an assembly line
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work4.14.6Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.03.1Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.72.3Level 1 looks like: Test an automobile transmission
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.73.3Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
Show all 41
  • Processing Information3.73.5Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.64.2Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.64.5Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.53.7Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Developing and Building Teams3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates3.44.3Level 4 looks like: Manage a small team of employees in a dynamic workplace
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.43.9Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.34.1Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Documenting/Recording Information3.32.6
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment3.34.0Level 4 looks like: Specify the furniture and equipment for a new school
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.34.2Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others3.22.2Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.23.7Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.13.6Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.12.9
  • Thinking Creatively3.13.6Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Training and Teaching Others3.12.8
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.92.7
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.82.9
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information2.82.4Level 1 looks like: Estimate the size of household furniture to be shipped
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment2.82.5Level 1 looks like: Drive a car
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization2.72.7
  • Assisting and Caring for Others2.62.6
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.62.8
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.62.0Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.63.5Level 4 looks like: Recommend a new software package to increase operational efficiency
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.62.7
  • Working with Computers2.42.0Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.31.9Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public1.91.5Level 1 looks like: Check tickets at a concert
  • Selling or Influencing Others1.91.5Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment1.51.1Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Spend Time Standing4.9
  • Contact With Others4.8
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.8
  • Exposed to High Places4.6
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions4.6
  • Spend Time Walking or Running4.5
  • Time Pressure4.5
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.4
  • Freedom to Make Decisions4.4
  • Physical Proximity4.4

Technology

11 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (3)

  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (8)
  • Business management software
  • Construction Software Center EasyEst
  • DevWave Estimate Works
  • Job costing software
  • Logic Group Scanner Digitizing Software
  • On Center Quick Bid
  • Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal
  • Wilhelm Publishing Threshold

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
  2. Tapers
  3. Sheet Metal Workers
  4. Carpenters
  5. Plasterers and Stucco Masons
  6. Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles
  7. Roofers
  8. Insulation Workers, Mechanical
  9. Tile and Stone Setters
  10. Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.