Start Your Painting & Decorating Apprenticeship

What you will do Painters and decorators may do some or all of the following: work with customers on colour selection and finishes calculate materials required for a job erect scaffolding under five metres high (scaffolding over this height must be put up by a registered scaffolder) fill holes, cracks and joins, and clean surfaces of dust and dirt mix and match paint colours cut and hang wallpaper, vinyl and backing paper apply paint and decorative paint finishes such as glazing, graining, marbling and lettering. Skills and knowledge Painters and decorators need to have: a good understanding of colour knowledge of paints and wall coverings skill in painting and decorating techniques knowledge of health and safety precautions. Painters and decorators who are self-employed also need business skills. Working conditions Painters and decorators: usually work regular business hours, but may be required to work longer hours or weekends. Commercial painters and decorators may work at night work on homes and commercial buildings that are being built or renovated may work in cold or dusty conditions, inside and outside and at heights. Pay Pay for painters and decorators varies depending on skills, experience and their employer. Apprentice painters and decorators may start on the training minimum wage or adult minimum wage, with their pay increasing as they gain experience and unit standards. Unqualified or inexperienced painters and decorators usually earn about $22 an hour. Experienced painters and decorators can earn between $24 and $33 an hour. Painters and decorators running their own business may earn more than this, but their income will depend on the success of their business. Sources: Master Painters New Zealand, 2018; PayScale, 2018; and Trade Me Jobs, 2018. PAYE.net.nz website – use this calculator to convert pay and salary information Employment New Zealand website – information about minimum wage rates (This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our pay information)

Entry requirements There are no specific requirements to become a painter and decorator. However, you usually need to complete an apprenticeship and gain a National Certificate in Painting and Decorating (Level 4). The Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) oversees painting and decorating apprenticeships. Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) website – information on apprenticeships Master Painters website – information on pre-trade courses, apprenticeships and career pathways Secondary education There are no specific secondary education requirements to become a painter and decorator. However, construction and mechanical technologies, maths, design and visual communication, and painting are useful. Year 11 and 12 learners can find out more about the construction industry and gain relevant skills by doing a National Certificate in Building, Construction and Allied Trades (Levels 1 and 2) through the BConstructive programme. For Year 11 to 13 learners, trades academies and the STAR and Gateway programmes are good ways to gain relevant experience and skills. These programmes may help you gain an apprenticeship, but do not reduce the time it takes to complete it. BConstructive website – information on the BConstructive programme Personal requirements Painters and decorators need to be: detail-focused, with an eye for colour practical, quick and accurate neat and tidy in their work organised responsible good at relating to people able to work as part of a team. It’s important to have good communication skills, not only with clients, but with the other painters and foremen as well. Photo: Justin Burrell Justin Burrell Painter and Decorator Useful experience Useful experience for painters and decorators includes: interior decorating work as a sales assistant in a paint and wallpaper shop work as a painter’s assistant any other work where you can demonstrate creativity. Physical requirements Painters and decorators need to: have good eyesight (with or without corrective lenses) and normal colour vision be reasonably fit and have a strong back and knees, as their work involves a lot of bending, standing and lifting be comfortable working at heights have good hand-eye coordination..

Career opportunities Painter and decorator, self-employed painting contractor, business owner, paint manufacturing, interior design consultant, paint retail store manager, specialised coatings applicator What are the chances of getting a job? Strong demand for painters and decorators Chances of getting work as a painter and decorator are good due to: regular redecoration by homeowners steady growth in construction which is predicted to continue until at least 2023 a shortage in the number of people going into painting and decorating apprenticeships. The demand for painters and decorators can be affected by economic conditions. A downturn in the economy can lower demand for painters and decorators, although there is often maintenance work available. According to the Census, 12,297 painters and decorators worked in New Zealand in 2018. Most painters and decorators work for small firms or are self-employed Most painters and decorators work in small firms, and about one third are self-employed. Some self-employed painters and decorators work on contracts in pairs or small teams. Sources BCITO, ‘Painting and Decorating’, accessed July 2018, (www.bcito.org.nz). Miller, B, chief executive, Master Painters New Zealand, careers.govt.nz interview, July 2018. Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, ‘National Construction Pipeline Report 2018’, July 2018, (www.mbie.govt.nz). Ranchhod, S, ‘Construction Bulletin – July 2018’, July 2018, (www.westpac.co.nz). Stats NZ, ‘2018 Census Data’, 2019. (This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our job opportunities information) Progression and specialisations Painters and decorators may progress to set up their own businesses, or move into supervisor or management roles. Painters and decorators may specialise in: commercial or residential work interior or exterior painting wallpapering decorative or maintenance work.