Apprentice Maintenance Painter and Decorator

UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

West Midlands (B15 2TT)

Closes in 20 days (Sunday 7 June 2026)

Posted on 18 May 2026

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Summary

The apprentice will gain hands-on experience supporting a wide range of painting and decorating activities across the University of Birmingham campus. Alongside this practical work, they will attend Dudley College to develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours required to successfully complete the apprenticeship standard.

• Wage:

  £19,278 a year

  Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

  Full time starting salary £19,278 per annum rising to £24,097 after 12 months service.

• Training course: Painter and decorator (level 2)
• Hours: Monday to Friday 9.00 - 17.00

  35 hours a week

• Start date:

  Monday 7 September 2026

• Duration:

  2 years 4 months

• Positions available:

  2

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

• To carry out any painting and decorating requirements that is both routine and planned in accordance with the Estates work programme.
• Appropriate use of different types of paints and tools for interior and exterior works, differentiate between the need to use rollers, brushes or spray paints in accordance with the needs of the project. 
• To measure surfaces and quantify paint or wallpaper requirements.
• Carry out minor repairs to surfaces and structures prior to decorating/painting.
• Monitor decorating material stock and procure new stock as required.
• To diagnose and repair faults related to maintenance issues. 
• To deal with new situations with instruction and guidance from Craftsperson / Line Management when required.
• To interpret and work from verbal instructions, drawings and specifications appropriate to university buildings. 
• Show understanding and appreciation of all elements of maintenance works in university buildings and / or the willingness to learn. 
• Support a wide range of work of multi-disciplined works demonstrating collaborative working with suitably qualified members of the department.
• To learn new techniques and craft practices in line with evolving technology and legislative Health and Safety Requirements.  This may involve attendance on training courses.
• To work as part of a multi-disciplined team and understand fully the inter-relationship between the various maintenance crafts.
• Recording, completing and providing essential job information via IT based systems.
• Required to operate in various shift patterns in order to accommodate the needs of the University.
• Undertake all work in accordance with safe working practices and safe working procedures.
• Carry out other duties as required within designated skill set.
• Adhere to University and Estates Office Policies & Procedures.
• Treats everyone with dignity and respect in line with current equality legislation.

Where you'll work

Edgbaston
Birmingham
West Midlands
B15 2TT

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

DUDLEY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

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

The training will be at Dudley college and you would attend one day a week.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade 9 to 4 (A* to C))
• Maths (grade 9 to 4 (A* to C))

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
• Organisation skills
• Customer care skills
• Problem solving skills
• Team working

About this employer

People are at the heart of what we are and do.

The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.

We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/jobs/apprenticeships (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/jobs/staff-benefits

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

On completion of this apprenticeship, you may be able to progress into one of the following roles:

• Maintenance Craftsperson – Painter and Decorator

With additional experience you could move into a:

• Technical role
• Team leader role

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

DUDLEY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

apprenticeships@contacts.bham.ac.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000032229.

Apply now

Closes in 20 days (Sunday 7 June 2026)

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.