Do you love that feeling when you walk into a room and think, “Whoa, this looks nice!”? Chances are that an accomplished painter and decorator had a hand in bringing the space to life. Contrary to what you might think, this job involves more than just slapping on some colour and calling it a day.
A painting and decorating apprenticeship is the most effective and rewarding way to learn the ins and outs of the trade, from practical skills to business acumen. Let’s find out where you can find top competitive apprenticeships and where this career path could take you.
Jobs you can get with a painting and decorating apprenticeship
Domestic decorator
Domestic decorators are skilled tradespeople who know how to prep walls and create a flawless finish with various paint types in peoples’ homes. Your big goal is to help clients create their dream space, so domestic decorators often advise on things like interior design and style to give the room the right feel.
Commercial decorator
Forget bedrooms and living rooms – commercial decorators are the masters of transforming BIG spaces. Think offices, shops, restaurants, even schools and hospitals. As commercial decorators work on a much larger scale in public buildings, you’ll also need to understand regulations like health and fire safety (e.g., using fire-resistant paint).
Industrial decorator
Industrial decorators tackle massive structures like bridges and ships – even rollercoasters! For this reason, these professionals aren’t afraid to work at heights and get their hands dirty. The goal of the painting goes beyond aesthetics, as industrial decorators are also concerned with external factors like combatting rust and extreme temperatures.
Muralist
Fancy something a lil’ more creative? Muralists are the people who create works of art on the side of buildings, kind of like using a supersized canvas. Local business owners and councils usually commission their work, and their goal is to bring life to buildings so passers-by will stop in their tracks.
Painting and decorating apprenticeships
Bagnalls
Commercial painting company Bagnalls recruits apprenticeships across their twelve national branches to complete a Level 2 in Painting and Decorating. If you successfully finish this course, you’ll have the opportunity to progress to an 18-month, Level 3 apprenticeship or continue with the company in a full-time role.
Gov.uk
Find a Level 2 Painter and Decorator apprenticeship near you on the gov.uk website. You can search through a range of courses lasting an average of 24 months.
Alexander Decorators
Scotland-based domestic and commercial decorating company Alexander Decorators has an in-house training academy with four-year apprenticeships. Throughout this time, you’ll upskill in all areas of the painting and decorating trade, and you can learn from the best in the industry.
Scott Anson
Scott Anson Painters & Decorators is a nationwide business that does commercial and domestic work, and it accepts apprentices every year. One key entry requirement is the ability to work in a fast-paced environment, but that’s the best way to learn the ropes, of course!
Bell Group
Property services contractor Bell Group has 35 years of experience running apprenticeship schemes, so you know you’re in good hands. There are 250 places on the programme; you can apply for an apprenticeship in painting and decorating, as well as various similar fields like plastering and carpentry.
Painting and Decorating Association
Okay, this opportunity technically isn’t an apprenticeship… it’s a competition for apprentices. The Painting and Decorating Association runs a UK-wide annual competition to find the number one apprentice in the industry. Worth giving it a shot once you’ve completed a course!
Entry requirements
Exact entry requirements will vary between courses, but generally, employers are looking for GCSEs in at least English and maths in grades 9-4. You’ll also likely need a full UK driving license to travel to jobs.
Other requirements include being a good communicator and having a creative streak. You’ll need to form trustworthy relationships with clients and guide them in making important design decisions that really do affect their lives – after all, they’ve got to look at their kitchen tiles every day! Plus, there’s a chance that you’ll need to have decent conflict management skills to calm clients who are unhappy with a wonky wall or dodgy colour change.
Extra tips
You’ll find loads of companies in your local area offering painting and decorating apprenticeships, so the first step is to reach out to them with your CV.
Another super essential tip is that the majority of painters and decorators are contractors, which means they’re self-employed. As a self-employed person, you’re in charge of your earnings, working hours and client base. Although it sounds like a dream, being a contractor requires discipline and confidence. If you know a self-employed friend or family member, ask them to meet you for a coffee so you can understand what this type of work really means.
Lastly, remember that you have YouTube at your fingertips. In addition to standard prepping and painting techniques, get out of your comfort zone and learn cool things like rag rolling, sponging and even creating your own stencils. There’s no limit to your newfound flair!
Create a colourful career with an apprenticeship
A painting and decorating apprenticeship could be the catalyst for a long and successful career as an employed or self-employed person – even as a lucrative business owner!
Fancy something else? Take a look at more apprenticeships and career options in the trade, interior design, or try something different in marketing & business.
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