Careers & pathways
How to become a painter and decorator in Australia
Painters prepare surfaces and apply paint, coatings and decorative finishes to buildings.
The work
What the job involves
- Prepare, sand and prime surfaces
- Apply paint by brush, roller and spray
- Apply specialist and protective coatings
- Hang wallpaper and apply decorative finishes
Where the work happens
Residential and commercial buildings, indoors and outdoors, frequently on ladders or scaffold.
Typical qualification pathway
The qualification usually used to enter this work
The usual entry qualification is Certificate III in Painting and Decorating (CPC30620), a nationally recognised qualification on the national register. The registered training organisations approved to deliver and issue it are listed on training.gov.au.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-10
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