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Painting & Decorating Apprentice

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Elite Decor in Thorney, Peterborough
Elite Decor in Thorney, Peterborough are looking for a Painting and Decorating Apprentice to join them. Is this something you have been looking for? You will learn all about wallpapering, mixing and preparing paint and so much more. Working alongside professionals on construction sites and for housebuilders.
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
Elite Decor in Thorney, Peterborough are looking for an enthusiastic individual to join their team as a Painting and Decorating Apprentice.
This apprenticeship provides an excellent opportunity to begin a career in the painting and decorating industry while working towards a recognised qualification through college. The successful candidate will gain practical, hands-on experience by working alongside skilled and experienced decorators in a supportive and professional environment.
Apprentices will work on live construction sites, including projects for well-known housebuilders.
Your duties will include:
- Preparing walls, ceilings and other surfaces for decoration
- Protecting floors, furniture and surrounding areas before work begins
- Applying paint and other finishes using brushes and rollers
- Assisting with wallpapering and other decorating tasks
- Mixing and preparing paints and materials
- Keeping tools and working areas clean, tidy and safe
- Following instructions from experienced decorators and site supervisors
- Attending college and completing all work required for the apprenticeship qualification
Elite Decor will provide ongoing guidance, practical training and development throughout the apprenticeship. You must be prepared to work on different sites where required.
They would prefer the successful candidate to be able to drive, as the sites are spread across several locations within the area. Hawthorns, Dairy Drove, Thorney is their registered office, but this would not be your usual place of work. Most of your time would be spent working on site at different locations.
For this reason, it could be quite difficult for someone who is unable to drive. However, we would consider a candidate who is currently taking driving lessons, provided they expect to pass their test in the very near future.
You will be required to attend the Corby College Campus once a week beginning early October 2026.
Where you'll work
Hawthornes Dairy Drove
Thorney
PE6 0TX
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Why you're a good match
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Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
BEDFORD 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.


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Training schedule
Level 2 Painter and Decorator
Functional Skills in English and maths if required
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 9 - 3)
- Maths (grade 9 - 3)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- communication skills
- Reliable
- Good time keeper
- Organisation skills
- Team player
Other requirements
Candidates must attend an initial interview with a member of the Bedford College Apprenticeship Recruitment Team. Please note this is part of the recruitment process and must be completed in order for your application to be progressed to the next stage. Please consider how you will get to work and the Corby College Campus. Please be aware that the closing date is subject to change without prior notice.
About this employer
Elite Decor are a painting and decorating company.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship, there may be an opportunity to progress into a permanent role with Elite Decor as a qualified painter and decorator, subject to performance, attendance and the availability of suitable work.
You will have gained a recognised qualification and valuable practical experience across a variety of residential, commercial and construction projects. Further opportunities may include developing specialist decorating skills, taking on greater responsibility, progressing to a supervisory position or completing higher-level training as your experience grows.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
BEDFORD COLLEGE
Julie Carter
jcarter@bedford.ac.uk
(01536) 413508
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000046299.
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