Painting & Decorating Apprentice
MOUNTJOY LTD
Portsmouth (PO2 8AA)
Closes in 13 days (Friday 29 August 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 15 August 2025
Contents
Summary
We are now offering a fantastic opportunity for a Painting & Decorating Apprentice to join our team, earn while you learn, and build a career with real progression opportunities.
- Wage
-
£15,704 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Painter and decorator (level 2)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday, working hours TBC
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Friday 12 September 2025
- Duration
-
2 years
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
As a Painting & Decorating Apprentice, you will gain hands-on experience in a wide range of painting and decorating repairs, both in occupied and empty properties. You will work across Portsmouth City Council’s diverse property portfolio, including social housing, schools, offices, public conveniences, heritage buildings, and museums.
Key activities you will learn:
- Surface preparation for all types of finishes
- Emulsion and gloss painting
- Wallpaper hanging
- Artex repairs
- Non-licensed asbestos removal (full training provided)
- A variety of internal and external decorative works to a high standard
Key Responsibilities:
- Deliver high-quality workmanship, using correct methods and safe working practices at all times
- Ensure the safety of yourself and others while carrying out repairs
- Dispose of waste responsibly, considering environmental impact
- Maintain and use the correct tools for your trade
- Protect tenants’ property before starting work and leave all areas clean and tidy on completion
- Remain polite, professional, and respectful in all interactions - escalating issues to a supervisor if needed
- Take ownership of each job from start to finish, following company processes and standards
Where you'll work
Fairfield House 47-51
Kingston Crescent
Portsmouth
PO2 8AA
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
CITY OF PORTSMOUTH COLLEGE
Training course
Painter and decorator (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Comply with health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Select and use personal protective equipment (PPE), respiratory protective equipment (RPE) and dust suppression.
- Check and safely use working at height equipment for example steps, hop-ups, and podiums.
- Identify hazards and comply with risk assessments, method statements, control measures and safe systems of work and report to manager when required.
- Read and interpret information for example from drawings, specifications, work instructions, manufacturer’s safety data sheets and manufacturer’s information such as colour charts and notations.
- Ensure materials are used efficiently and sustainably including suitable disposal of waste.
- Prepare work area: remove and store furnishings, fixtures and equipment and reinstate.
- Protect and prepare a safe working area, surrounding surfaces and environment.
- Select and use hand tools and equipment.
- Maintain and store hand tools.
- Select, use, maintain and store power tools.
- Prepare internal and external untreated surfaces ready to receive finishing systems for example: trowelled finishes plaster or render, plasterboard, timber and timber sheet materials; metals (ferrous and non-ferrous).
- Prepare internal previously coated surfaces ready to receive finishing systems for example trowelled finishes plaster or render, plasterboard, timber and timber sheet materials.
- Prepare external previously coated surfaces ready to receive finishing systems for example trowelled finishes plaster or render, timber and timber sheet materials; metals (ferrous and non-ferrous).
- Prepare and apply surface coatings to untreated external surfaces for example brick, stone, render, wood, metal using a brush and roller.
- Apply solvent borne and water borne coating systems using brush and roller to ceilings, walls, linear work (skirting board and architrave) doors: flush and panelled and opening windows.
- Prepare and apply foundation paper: Cross lining around socket and switches, internal and external angles.
- Prepare and apply Wallcoverings: Free match or random match finishing papers, vertical hanging, around socket and switches, internal and external angle.
- Carry out minor repair for example third party damage or post application defect.
- Apply team working principles.
- Verbally communicate with others, applying construction terminology.
- Communicate in writing with others for example, internal and external customers, colleagues.
- Follow equity, diversity and inclusion guidance.
- Comply with health and safety regulations, standards, and guidance.
- Select and use personal protective equipment (PPE), respiratory protective equipment (RPE) and dust suppression.
- Check and safely use working at height equipment for example steps, hop-ups, and podiums.
- Identify hazards and comply with risk assessments, method statements, control measures and safe systems of work and report to manager when required.
- Read and interpret information for example from drawings, specifications, work instructions, manufacturer’s safety data sheets and manufacturer’s information such as colour charts and notations.
- Ensure materials are used efficiently and sustainably including suitable disposal of waste.
- Prepare work area: remove and store furnishings, fixtures and equipment and reinstate.
- Protect and prepare a safe working area, surrounding surfaces and environment.
- Select and use hand tools and equipment.
- Maintain and store hand tools.
- Select, use, maintain and store power tools.
- Prepare internal and external untreated surfaces ready to receive finishing systems for example: trowelled finishes plaster or render, plasterboard, timber and timber sheet materials; metals (ferrous and non-ferrous).
- Prepare internal previously coated surfaces ready to receive finishing systems for example trowelled finishes plaster or render, plasterboard, timber and timber sheet materials.
- Prepare external previously coated surfaces ready to receive finishing systems for example trowelled finishes plaster or render, timber and timber sheet materials; metals (ferrous and non-ferrous).
- Prepare and apply surface coatings to untreated external surfaces for example brick, stone, render, wood, metal using a brush and roller.
- Apply solvent borne and water borne coating systems using brush and roller to ceilings, walls, linear work (skirting board and architrave) doors: flush and panelled and opening windows.
- Prepare and apply foundation paper: Cross lining around socket and switches, internal and external angles.
- Prepare and apply Wallcoverings: Free match or random match finishing papers, vertical hanging, around socket and switches, internal and external angle.
- Carry out minor repair for example third party damage or post application defect.
- Apply team working principles.
- Verbally communicate with others, applying construction terminology.
- Communicate in writing with others for example, internal and external customers, colleagues.
- Follow equity, diversity and inclusion guidance.
Training schedule
A 24-month apprenticeship programme delivered on a day-release basis (one day per week) at City of Portsmouth College's North Harbour Campus in North Harbour, Portsmouth. Time spent training will come under the working hours per week.
More training information
This occupation is found in both the new build and refurbishment sectors of the construction industry. Projects vary in size, scale, and duration, ranging from the painting of a wall, refurbishment of a room to new build housing and large-scale commercial projects such as office blocks, hospitals and retail developments. Employers and contractors of painters and decorators vary in size from small, local family painting and decorating companies to major home builders and commercial contractors. Painters and decorators sometimes choose to specialise in certain types of projects and go on to become masters in their field. Examples include work on heritage and listed buildings, new build homes or commercial works. There is growing demand for painters and decorators to help meet the need for new homes and preserve the condition of existing housing and structures.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to operate in domestic and commercial properties and undertake the decoration and protection of buildings. Properties include houses, schools, offices, hospitals, factories and construction sites. Working internally or externally they work individually and/or as part of a team applying water-borne and/or solvent borne coatings and wallcoverings. They have good knowledge of paint coatings and wallcoverings and understand and comply with statutory, safety and environmental requirements. They are responsible for their own work achieving a high-quality finish at the appropriate pace. They are good problem solvers and communicators and are able to interact effectively with colleagues, clients and associated trades.
Learning and assessment:
City of Portsmouth College will provide support for employer and apprentice to prepare for end-point assessment by our first-rate, fully trained assessors. Our simple, flexible service meets the demands of your team and your partners.
- Multiple-choice test: You will complete a multiple-choice test. It will be closed book, meaning you will not have access to any books or reference materials. The test will have 40 multiple-choice questions. You will have 60 minutes to complete it
- Practical assessment with questions: You will be observed by an independent assessor completing a set of tasks. It will last 14 hours. They will ask you at least 6 questions
- Interview underpinned by a portfolio of evidence: You will have an interview with an independent assessor. It will last at least 60 minutes. They will ask you at least 6 questions. The questions will be about certain aspects of your occupation. You need to compile a portfolio of evidence before the EPA gateway. You can use it to help answer the questions
The overall grades available for this apprenticeship are:
- Fail
- Pass
- Merit
- Distinction
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 2/E/Functional Skills Level 1)
- Maths (grade 2/E/Functional Skills Level 1)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Problem solving skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Initiative
- Patience
About this employer
Mountjoy Ltd has been delivering high-quality building maintenance and refurbishment services since 1992, achieving a turnover of £46 million. We pride ourselves on our skilled workforce, commitment to quality, and dedication to excellent customer service.
Company benefits
23 days holiday + bank holidays Life assurance & employee assistance Volunteering days Buy & sell holiday scheme Cycle to work scheme Gym membership discounts “Refer a friend” rewards Clear career progression: Apprentice, Improver, Qualified
After this apprenticeship
Once you start as an Apprentice you can work towards being an Improver and finally a Qualified Painter & Decorator - with wage increases, plus the potential for a company van and fuel card when qualified.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
CITY OF PORTSMOUTH COLLEGE
Heather Murray
heather.murray@copc.ac.uk
02394 211959
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000337371.
Apply now
Closes in 13 days (Friday 29 August 2025 at 11:59pm)
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