Painters and Decorators work with a range of materials to produce a range of decorative finishes. Their work could cover domestic work for a client in a single house, perhaps a luxury waterside development, through to schools, factories and industrial buildings. Painters and Decorators prepare surfaces, use wall papers, emulsion paint and specialist paint finishes

The work can include:

• showing the client samples and helping them to decide between them
• estimating how much paint and other materials will be needed to complete the job
• preparing surfaces by removing old paint or wall coverings
• using a range of tools such as brushes, rollers, sprays and sponges
• clearing up when the job is complete.

As you'd expect, you'll need to be good with your hands as this is a real 'hands on' career. The work can be done indoors or outdoors, so you should be prepared to brave the weather and travel to different sites. It involves working at heights, bending, kneeling, crouching, standing for long periods, and carrying ladders, tools and materials, which can be heavy. It's not all about big jobs either - you'll get the chance to show off your artistic skills as well.