Painter and decorator (Maler und Lackierer/in)
You prepare, paint and decorate walls, ceilings and façades: a 3-year training, paid from the first year, for a creative and practical trade.
What a painter and decorator does
They treat, coat, clad, decorate and insulate the interiors and façades of buildings, and also carry out plastering and drywall work.
Prepare
Clean the surfaces, fill cracks and defects, repair the plaster and apply primers.
Paint
Mix colours and apply paints, stains and varnishes by brush, roller or spray gun.
Decorate
Hang wallpaper and coverings, create surface effects and design wall decorations.
This occupation is for you if…
- you have a sense of colour and aesthetics
- you are careful and attentive to the details and flaws of a surface
- you like giving a space a fresh new look
- you accept working on scaffolding or in awkward positions
Less suitable if…
- you are very sensitive to smells and chemicals
- you find it hard to stand for long or work with arms raised
- you are afraid of heights on scaffolding or platforms
A typical day in the workshop
What you will learn, what is expected of you
Technical skills
Surface preparationColour mixingPaint applicationPlaster and plasteringFitting wall coveringsThermal insulationPersonal qualities
Sense of colourPrecisionCareCreativityStaminaHow the Ausbildung works
In Germany you learn by working: this is the “dual system”. You are an employee of a company and a student at a vocational school (Berufsschule) at the same time.
The basics
- Site, tools and safety
- Surface preparation
- First paint and plaster jobs
Practice
- Colours, techniques and coverings
- Drywall and insulation
- Part 1 of the final exam
Specialisation
- Sites run independently
- Decoration, façades and repairs
- Part 2 of the final exam
Exams and qualification
The journeyman's exam (Gesellenprüfung) has two parts: part 1 takes place at the end of the fourth half-year of training and counts for 30 per cent of the result; part 2, taken in your specialisation, closes the training. You obtain the journeyman's certificate (Gesellenbrief), issued by the Chamber of Crafts (HWK).
You are paid during the training
Gross monthly pay during the training. These amounts are averages: they vary by region, sector and collective agreement.
What you need to apply
Education level
German level
Physical fitness
Documents to prepare
- CV and cover letter in German
- Translated baccalaureate diplomas and transcripts
- German B2 level certificate
Advantages and difficulties
Advantages
- Paid from the first year
- Qualification recognised throughout Germany
- Creative work with visible results
- Route to master craftsman or further study
Difficulties
- Physical work, often standing or with arms raised
- Smells, dust and products: protection needed
- Changing sites, sometimes outdoors
- Trainee pay lower than in other building trades
Where it can lead
Skilled painter
Jobs in painting firms, plastering firms or building companies.
Further training
Deepen your skills in painting and varnishing or building repair through short training courses.
Master or degree
Take the Maler- und Lackierermeister (master painter), start your own firm or study interior design.
Other trainings: Building and construction
Not quite convinced by this occupation? Here are related trainings in the same field.
We are by your side from day one until you arrive in Germany
Four steps to move forward, all run by our own structures.
Take the test online or at the office
The eligibility test is done online on our website, or by visiting our Douala office directly.
Take the testTalk to our team
Germany: +49 (0) 7033 694 18 80
Cameroon: +237 622 20 81 64
DZK, our language centre
Deutschzentrum KAGEDEV (DZK) is our own language centre in Douala. Outside Douala: partner language centres, call us to find the nearest one.
AZUFA is always us
AZUFA is our platform: it connects you with German companies that recruit apprentices and follows your application through to the training contract.
Go to AZUFAFrom German A1 to the first day of training in Germany
Each step is run by one of our structures. You keep the same contact from start to finish.
- 1
Check my eligibility
The test is done online on our website or at our Douala office.
Run by Campus Germany
- 2
Talk to an advisor
Review your profile, your wishes and the chosen occupation.
- 3
Learn German, from A1 to B2
Courses adapted to your starting level, up to the required B2 level. In Douala at our own language centre; elsewhere, with our partner centres.
Run by DZK
- 4
Prepare the application file
CV and cover letter in German, translated baccalaureate diplomas and transcripts, B2 level certificate.
- 5
Find the company and sign the training contract
We connect you with German companies that recruit apprentices, and follow your application through to the contract.
Run by AZUFA
- 6
Prepare the visa and paperwork
Support to gather the documents and complete the administrative steps.
- 7
Prepare your departure and settling in
Travel, housing and first steps in Germany: we prepare you before you leave.
Run by KAGEDEV e.V.
- 8
First day of training in Germany
You arrive prepared and supported, with a team that has known you since day one.
Stay informed
Join our channels to receive new offers, session dates and advice. These are announcement channels: no private conversations.
Our structures for this occupation
Our platform for recruiting apprentices and skilled staff from Africa: matching with German companies through to the training contract.
Our own German language centre, in Douala. Outside Douala: partner centres.
Training offers for this occupation
No offer is open here at the moment. Browse apprenticeship offers on AZUFA, or receive an e-mail as soon as a partner company recruits.
See offers on AZUFA →Take this sheet with you
A 5-page document to read offline or show your family: the occupation, the training, the pay and the whole pathway, from German A1 to the first day of training.
Download the brochure (PDF)You may be wondering…
What German level is required?
How long does the training last?
Am I paid during the training?
Where can I take the eligibility test?
Where can I learn German?
Can you choose a specialisation during the training?
How do company and school alternate?
Ready to find out whether this occupation is for you?
Take the test online or come and see us at the office. We are by your side from day one until you arrive in Germany.