How to Become a Painter in Australia: A Painting and Decorating Course Guide for Onshore International Students

If you like hands-on work, changing environments, and gaining practical skills, then painting and decorating in the building and construction industry could be the career for you. If you are an onshore international student looking to study a painting and decorating course in Melbourne, it is important to understand the qualification, training requirements, and potential career pathways.

The CPC30620 Certificate III in Painting and Decorating is an Australian nationally recognised qualification providing a trade outcome in painting and decorating for residential and commercial construction work. The national training package recognises the Painter and Decorator as an occupational title.

CPC30620 Painting and Decorating Course at a Glance

What Will You Learn in a Painting and Decorating Course?

The CPC30620 training package contains units covering a broad range of practical and workplace skills.

The qualification also covers competencies using tools and equipment for painting, scaffolding, elevated work platforms, lead-painted surfaces and construction workplace communication.

One of the practical consequences of this is that students researching how to become a painter should look beyond course titles and examine the actual units and assessment requirements.

What Should International Students Know?

If you’re a student in Australia on a student visa, you must study with the right education provider and course. Approved providers and courses for delivery to international students are registered on the Australian Government’s Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).

Accord College currently lists CPC30620 under CRICOS course code 118282E and identifies Accord College as CRICOS provider 04019A. 

Education providers enrolling students on Australian student visas must meet the relevant requirements of the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) framework and National Code. International students should confirm the provider’s CRICOS registration, course details, entry requirements and current student visa conditions prior to enrolment.

International students should refer to the current course fees, English language requirements, entry requirements, attendance requirements, equipment requirements, refund policy and conditions for student visas before making an enrolment decision.

Do Painters Need a White Card in Victoria?

Other safety requirements may apply for construction work. Workers doing construction work need general construction induction training, also known as White Card training. Safe Work Australia says.

WorkSafe Victoria strongly recommends that the approved construction induction training be conducted face-to-face by an approved RTO before a Victorian White Card is issued.

Career Pathways After Certificate III in Painting and Decorating

Australian Government body identifies Painter and Decorator as an occupational title associated with CPC30620 Certificate III in Painting and Decorating. The qualification is designed to develop skills relevant to painting and decorating work across residential and commercial construction settings.

Licensing and regulatory requirements may vary between states and territories in Australia. Students and graduates should contact the relevant regulatory authority to find out if there are any requirements that may apply to the type of work they intend to undertake.

Students can also look at other building and construction qualifications to take it further depending on their career aims and entry requirements.

Students who want to explore the qualification in more detail can also read our guide to the Painting and Decorating Course in Melbourne: Skills, Training and Career Pathways. It provides further information about the practical skills covered in CPC30620, training considerations for students and potential career and further-study pathways after completing the qualification. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can onshore international students study painting and decorating in Melbourne?

Yes. CRICOS-registered providers offer eligible courses to study for international students. CRICOS course code 118282E: Accord College is now offering CPC30620 Certificate III in Painting and Decorating at Werribee campus. Students should consult current admission and visa requirements prior to applying for admission.

How long is the Certificate III in Painting and Decorating?

How long it will take to complete the CPC30620 Certificate III in Painting and Decorating will depend on the training provider, the mode of delivery and the student’s own study schedule. International students should contact their preferred CRICOS-registered provider to obtain the most up-to-date information on course duration and study pattern. Accord College has a 52-week course duration for CPC30620.

How many units are in CPC30620?

The national qualification requires 29 units of competency: 26 core units and three elective units.

Do I need painting experience before enrolling?

The national CPC30620 qualification has no formal entry requirements. However, international students must also meet their chosen provider's current admission, English-language and enrolment requirements.

Does Certificate III automatically make me a licensed painter?

No. Your state and territory will have different licensing and regulatory requirements, and CPC30620 will not give you a licence automatically. Students should check the requirements of where they plan to work..

Does Accord College Offer a Painting and Decorating Course in Melbourne for Onshore International Students?

Yes. Accord College offers the CPC30620 Certificate III in Painting and Decorating, a CRICOS-registered course (CRICOS code 118282E) delivered face to face at its Werribee campus in Victoria. The course is available to onshore international students and includes practical training relevant to residential and commercial painting and decorating work.