Onboarding plan
Concrete Finisher Onboarding Plan (30-60-90 Days)
A practical, printable plan to take a new concrete finisher from first day to full productivity.
Concrete Finisher onboarding at a glance
Week one covers orientation, safety and shadowing. Days 1–30 build vocabulary and supervised practice on core procedures; days 31–60 move to independent work with competency sign-offs; days 61–90 focus on full productivity, cross-training and a credential plan.
Before day one
- Confirm start date, schedule, pay and supervisor in writing
- Verify required credentials: ACI Concrete Flatwork Finisher, ACI Concrete Field Testing Technician Grade I (as applicable)
- Prepare equipment and access: screeds and bull floats; hand trowels, edgers and groovers; power trowels; concrete saws
- Assign a buddy or preceptor
- Enroll the new hire in Concrete Finisher training so foundations are covered before or during week one
Week one: orient and protect
- Workplace tour, emergency procedures and incident reporting
- Wear waterproof boots, gloves and long sleeves to prevent concrete burns
- Wash wet concrete off skin immediately
- Control silica dust when saw-cutting and grinding
- Stay clear of chutes, pumps and backing trucks
- Shadow an experienced concrete finisher through a full shift
- Training modules 1–3: role foundations, a day on the job and essential vocabulary (15 terms)
Days 1–30: learn
Goal: perform core tasks safely under supervision.
- Supervised practice: finish a concrete slab
- Supervised practice: cut control joints
- Supervised practice: cure new concrete
- Training modules 4–7: duties, step-by-step tasks, tools and safety
- 30-day check-in: confidence, questions and early wins
Days 31–60: contribute
Goal: handle a regular workload independently.
- Set and check forms and reinforcement: independently
- Place and spread fresh concrete: independently
- Screed concrete to grade: independently
- Float and trowel surfaces by hand and with power trowels: independently
- Competency sign-offs completed (see checklist below)
- Training final knowledge check and certificate of completion
- 60-day check-in
Days 61–90: own
Goal: full productivity and a growth plan.
- Meet productivity and quality targets for the role
- Begin cross-training on a secondary task
- Agree on a credential goal (for example, ACI Concrete Flatwork Finisher)
- Discuss the career path: Concrete Laborer → Concrete Finisher → Lead Finisher or Foreman
- 90-day review
Competency checklist
| Skill or task | Trained | Observed | Signed off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finish a Concrete Slab | |||
| Cut Control Joints | |||
| Cure New Concrete | |||
| Screeding and floating | |||
| Hand and power troweling | |||
| Reading concrete set times | |||
| Forming and grading |
How to measure onboarding success
- Weeks until the new hire works without close supervision
- Recordable incidents and near-misses in the first 90 days
- Rework caused by new-hire errors
- Apprentice retention through year one
How Concrete Finisher training maps to this plan
- Introduction to the Concrete Finisher Role
- A Day on the Job
- Essential Concrete Finisher Vocabulary
- Core Duties and Responsibilities
- Common Tasks, Step by Step
- Tools, Equipment and Technology
- Safety, Compliance and Professional Standards
- Skills Employers Look For
- Launching Your Concrete Finisher Career
- Final Knowledge Check