Certificate III in Painting and Decorating

The CPC30620 Certificate III in Painting and Decorating at Victorian College of Education Australia (VCEA) provides a trade outcome in painting and decorating for residential and commercial construction work. The qualification requires 29 units — 26 core units and 3 electives — covering erecting and dismantling restricted height scaffolding, working safely at heights, operating elevated work platforms up to 11 metres, calculating costs of construction work, working effectively and sustainably in the construction industry, planning and organising work, workplace communication, measurements and calculations, reading and interpreting plans and specifications, and erecting and maintaining trestle and plank systems. Specialist trade units cover handling and storing painting and decorating materials, using painting and decorating tools and equipment, removing and replacing doors and window components, preparing coated and uncoated surfaces for painting, applying paint by brush, roller and spray, applying texture coat finishes, matching specific paint colours, applying stains and clear timber finishes, removing and applying wallpaper, applying decorative and protective paint coating systems, removing graffiti and applying anti-graffiti coatings, and working safely with lead-painted surfaces and non-friable asbestos.

Delivery is face to face in the classroom at VCEA's Queen Street campus in Melbourne, with assessment through classroom activity, projects, case studies and assignments. The course runs for 60 weeks full time including holidays and orientation. Tuition is $18,000, plus a non-refundable enrolment fee of $450 and a materials fee of $2,500. Individuals may enter the qualification by completing the CPC20120 Certificate II in Construction. After achieving the Certificate III, graduates could progress to the CPC40120 Certificate IV in Building and Construction or the CPC50220 Diploma of Building and Construction (Building).