Questions from and for painting apprentices.
Do I need my own licence to work as a painting apprentice, or does my boss cover that?
While you are an apprentice you do not need your own painter licence, because you work under a licensed employer who holds the contractor licence and takes responsibility for the job. Licensing kicks in when you go out on your own after you finish, and the rules change by state: in NSW you need a licence once the work is worth more than a set value, and in Queensland the QBCC requires a licence plus a business course. Focus on getting your Certificate III done first, then sort your own licence when you are ready to contract. Check your own state, because South Australia and Tasmania do not issue a specific painter licence at all.
Answered by a qualified tradieQualified painting and decorating
What safety tickets do I actually need to get on a building site?
The main one is your White Card (the general construction induction card), and you cannot legally work on a construction site without it, so get that sorted before you start. It is recognised Australia-wide, so you only need to do it once. If the job puts you on a scissor lift or a boom lift, you will also want an EWP ticket: a Yellow Card covers the smaller units, but a boom with a reach of 11 metres or more needs a full High Risk Work Licence. Most bigger sites also run their own site induction on top, which is just a walk-through of that particular job.
Answered by a qualified tradieQualified painting and decorating
What tools should I buy myself, and what should the boss supply?
As a rule the boss supplies the big gear like ladders, spray rigs, drop sheets and the bulk of the consumables, and that is normal. What you want to own and look after is your own hand kit: a decent 50mm and 63mm cutting-in brush, a couple of good rollers and frames, a scraper, a filling knife, a dusting brush and a five-in-one tool. Keep your brushes clean and they will cut a straight line for years, so wash them out properly every knock-off. Do not blow your first pay on a fancy kit, buy quality where it touches the wall and build up the rest over time.
Answered by a qualified tradieQualified painting and decorating
How do I know if I am getting paid the right amount as a first year?
Apprentice pay runs off your award (or an enterprise agreement if your employer has one), and it steps up each year of your apprenticeship and again once you turn adult age, so a first year and a third year are on different rates. Rather than trusting a mate's number, run your own details through the Fair Work Ombudsman Pay Calculator, which factors in your year, your age and any allowances. Keep your payslips and check the hours and the classification match what the calculator says. If something looks off, the Fair Work Ombudsman can help you sort it.
Answered by a qualified tradieQualified painting and decorating
My cutting-in keeps going wobbly and I get roller marks on the walls. What am I doing wrong?
Cutting in is mostly about a loaded but not dripping brush and a steady hand: load it, tip off the excess, then bring the paint up to the line in one smooth pass rather than dabbing at it. For roller marks, keep a wet edge and always lay off in the same direction with light final strokes, and do not let the roller run dry because a starved roller is what leaves those tramlines and stipple. Nine times out of ten the finish problem is really a prep or a loading problem, so sand, fill and dust properly before you even open the tin. It comes with reps, so do not stress if your first month of cutting in looks rough.
Answered by a qualified tradieQualified painting and decorating
