Apprenticeship Standard - Level 2 Painter & Decorator

As this is an apprenticeship, you’ll need to secure suitable employment as a painter and decorator so that you can develop and demonstrate your skills in the workplace. 

You’ll also need to meet the English and maths requirements set out within the apprenticeship funding rules before completing your End-Point Assessment. 

Your suitability for the apprenticeship may also be discussed with you and your employer before you begin. 

You’ll learn how to prepare, decorate and protect different surfaces to create a professional, high-quality finish. Your experience could take you into homes, schools, offices, hospitals, construction sites and other commercial buildings, with work taking place both indoors and outdoors. 

You’ll develop your skills using paints, coatings and wallcoverings while learning how to work safely, efficiently and sustainably. You’ll also build important workplace skills such as problem-solving, communication, working with other trades and taking responsibility for the quality of your own work. 

No two projects are necessarily the same. You could be helping to transform a room one day and contributing to a major construction or refurbishment project the next. 

As an apprentice, you’ll combine training with real experience in the workplace. 

During your apprenticeship, you’ll develop the knowledge and practical skills needed to: 

• Prepare surfaces ready for decoration 

• Apply paint and other coatings to a professional standard 

• Apply wallcoverings 

• Work on internal and external areas 

• Choose and use appropriate materials and equipment 

• Follow health, safety and environmental requirements 

• Work effectively alongside other construction trades 

• Communicate with colleagues, site teams and customers 

• Produce high-quality work that meets specifications and design requirements 

• Consider sustainability, waste and recycling when carrying out your work 

At the end of your apprenticeship, you’ll complete an independent End-Point Assessment (EPA) to demonstrate the skills and knowledge you’ve developed. This includes a multiple-choice test, practical assessment and an interview supported by a portfolio of evidence. 

Your final apprenticeship grade will be pass, merit or distinction. 

Completing your apprenticeship can open the door to a range of opportunities across the construction and property industries. 

You could progress into employment as a painter and decorator and build your experience working on domestic, commercial, new-build or refurbishment projects. 

As your skills and experience grow, you could choose to specialise in areas such as heritage and listed buildings, new-build homes or commercial decorating. You may also choose to continue developing your skills through further training and progression within the construction industry.