Summary As an Apprentice Painter and Decorator, you will join Durham County Council’s highly skilled Strategic Facilities Maintenance Service, and you will have the opportunity to develop the skills and competencies to be able to assist in the delivery of both contract and repairs and maintenance works within the local authority Wage £14,526.20 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab) Training course Painter and decorator (level 2) Hours Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm but hours may vary. 37 hours a week Start date Monday 7 September 2026 Duration 3 years 1 months 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 To develop the post holder to assist in supporting other staff regarding painting and decorating issues. To develop the post holder’s understanding of the service to comply with the Key Performance Indicators set for the Corporate Property and Land Service. To develop the post holder to assist in the promotion and development of working practices and procedures to improve the health and safety culture within Corporate Property and Land Service. Where you'll work Copelaw, Aycliffe Newton Aycliffe DL5 6JB Training Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills. Training provider NEW COLLEGE DURHAM 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 Apprentice will attend New College Durham 1 day per week Requirements Essential qualifications GCSE in: English (grade 3 or above) Maths (grade 3 or above) 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 Team working About this employer Durham County Council is the largest council in the North East, we employ over 16,000 people and have a budget of around £1.3 billion which helps us provide services for more than 513,000 people. We are a forward-looking council and recognise that we need passionate people who share our enthusiasm to deliver fantastic services to the people of County Durham. http://www.durham.gov.uk (opens in new tab) 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 Weare unable to guarantee a job role on completion of the apprenticeship but there will be progression opportunities while on programme. Ask a question The contact for this apprenticeship is: Durham County Council Jen Straughan-Hawley jen.straughan-hawley@durham.gov.uk The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000017528.