Painting and Decorating Apprentice
TENON DECORATING LTD
COLCHESTER (CO7 6XQ)
Closes in 29 days (Saturday 15 August 2026)
Posted on 16 July 2026
Contents
Summary
Seeking a Level 2 Painting and Decorating Apprentice to join our company Tenon Decorating Ltd that has now been running for 25 years. The apprentice will be expected to acquire the skills needed to paint and decorate any property, while also undertaking basic restoration. Applicants must drive.
- Wage
-
£16,640 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 to Friday, 8:00am - 5:30pm, with 1 hour lunch break and two 15 minute tea breaks each day.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 7 September 2026
- 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
Day to day duties include:
- Preparation of surfaces to be painted
- Stripping paint
- Hanging lining paper
- Rubbing down surfaces
- Filling minor damages as appropriate
- Priming surfaces, undercoating, top coating.
- Keeping work area tidy and organised.
- Helping to clean up at end of the day.
- Respect the customer and property
Where you'll work
SBRAS
EAST END
EAST BERGHOLT
COLCHESTER
CO7 6XQ
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
COLCHESTER INSTITUTE
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 apprentice will be working towards the Painter and Decorator Level 2 Apprenticeship Standard
- College attendance at Colchester Institute (Colchester campus) one day per week during term time
- Functional Skills in maths and English, if required
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
Level 1 Diploma in:
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
- Number skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Physical fitness
- No fear of heights
- Driving Licence
- Painting and Decorating
- Keen to engage
- Responsible
Other requirements
- A valid driving licence and access to reliable transport is an essential requirement due to nature of role
- Previous painting and decorating experience
- Good quality of work
- Excellent attendance record
- Working outdoors during the summer months (April – Sept/October)
- Sense of pride and quality in their work
About this employer
The Director, owner and employee of Tenon is Steven Ferguson. Tenon Decorating has been running for over 25 years. Tenon Decorating has 6 months’ work on the ‘books’. Tenon Decorating have employed Apprentices, Sub Contractors and permanent employees over the 25 year period, all of whom have moved on to other work over the years, or come back. Steven is hard working, and expects apprentices apply themselves, ‘mobile’ phones can be used only during ‘breaks’. Steve gives clear instructions and looks for quality work as his customer base is expect. Work is mainly through reputation and word of mouth, although advertises in local parish magazine.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Become self-employed or a sub-contractor for Tenon Decorating Ltd.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
COLCHESTER INSTITUTE
Colchester Institute - Apprenticeships Team
ci.apprenticeships@colchester.ac.uk
01206712043
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000043284.
Apply now
Closes in 29 days (Saturday 15 August 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.