Pick up a brush
Discover rewarding career paths in the Painting and Decorating trade. From pre-apprenticeships to joining an established team, explore job opportunities that offer hands-on experience, growth potential, and valuable skills for life.
The MPAV works closely with TAFEs and job network providers to guide aspiring painters toward fulfilling apprenticeships in the painting and decorating trade. We assist candidates through every stage, from sign-up to securing entitlements, ensuring they have access to essential resources and training. By matching apprentices with best-practice employers, we help them gain practical skills and industry experience in supportive environments. If placement needs change, we work to reassign apprentices, maintaining steady, relevant experience throughout their training. This partnership streamlines entry into the trade, setting up new painters for long-term success and supporting a strong industry workforce.
Career Pathways
Discover the pathways to become a qualified painter, and what a career in painting can do for you.
Pre-apprenticeship
Certificate II in Painting and Decorating is a 6 month pre-apprenticeship course where skills needed for the building and construction industry start.
Gain basic knowledge and skills for working onsite eg. safely handling equipment, how to measure, interpreting building plans.
Painting specific competencies include basic wallpapering, spray painting and surface preparation.
On completion of Certificate II in Painting and Decorating, a recognition of prior learning can be applied and if continuing the pathway in Painting and Decorating. This shortens the length of the Certificate III in Painting and Decorating to 3 years.
TAFE Providers
Melbourne Polytechnic (Epping Campus)
TAFE Gippsland
Northern College of Arts and Technology
Apprenticeship
Certificate III in Painting and Decorating is a 4 year apprenticeship course that on offers potential painters with a means to gain work experience and earn while they learn.
Training can be in class, onsite or a combination of both. A popular delivery is split 2-3 days in class and the remainder with the employer. This gives the apprentice a chance to learn and then apply to their job, whether it be paint mixing, preparation, or new painting techniques.
Bendigo TAFE
Holmesglen (Chadstone campus)
The Gordon (Geelong campus)
Melbourne Polytechnic (Epping Campus)
TAFE Gippsland
TasTAFE
Is painting right for you?
While anyone can try their hand at painting, a career in the trade is suited to someone who has certain traits. Do these characteristics resonate?
Decent physical fitness
Generally practical
Dexterous
Comfortable working at heights
Easily Adaptable
Interested in a fulfilling career in Painting and Decorating?
Pick up a brush and try your hand at Painting.