Painter And Decorator

Typical Salary

£15,000 To £30,000

Typical Hours

42 to 44 a week

evenings / weekends occasionally

How To Become a Painter And Decorator

You can get into this job through:

a college course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role

College / University

You could take a college course like a Level 2 or Level 3 Diploma in Painting and Decorating. This will teach you some of the skills you'll need and may help you to find a job as a trainee with a decorating company.

2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

You could do a painter and decorator intermediate apprenticeship.

some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

You could start by working as a painter and decorator's labourer or 'mate'. Your employer may give you the chance to take further training to fully qualify.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

to be thorough and pay attention to detail
leadership skills
the ability to work well with others
to be flexible and open to change
the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
customer service skills
knowledge of public safety and security
business management skills
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

Your day-to-day tasks may include:

measuring surface areas and working out how much paint or wall covering is needed
preparing the materials you need
stripping off old wallpaper or layers of paint
filling holes and cracks and making sure surfaces are level
covering surfaces with primer and undercoat
mixing paint to the right shade, often using computerised colour-matching equipment
applying coats of paint, hanging wallpaper and adding special finishes like glazes or marbling
tidying up after finishing, and cleaning your tools

Working Environment

You could work at a client's business or at a client's home.

Your working environment may be at height.

You may need to wear protective clothing.

Career Path & Progression

With experience, you could become a team supervisor or move into related areas like estimating, contract management, interior or set design, or apprentice training.

You could also work in heritage conservation, or set up your own business.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Registration

you'll need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or equivalent to train and work on a construction site

Professional and industry bodies

You could join the Painting and Decorating Association for professional development and to make industry contacts.

Further information

You can find out about careers in painting and decorating from Go Construct.

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

be able to cope with working at height