Skip to content
careertips

HomeCoursesBuilding and constructionCertificate III in Surface Preparation and Coating Application

Certificate III in Surface Preparation and Coating Application

This trade-level course trains you to prepare metal surfaces and apply the protective coatings that stop corrosion on ships, bridges, pipelines and industrial plant.

  • Duration: 3 years
  • Course code: MSM30216

Where you can study this course

Where

  • TAFE NSW

    Visit course page → (opens in a new tab)
    Campuses
    Glendale Campus (Traineeship)
    Duration
    3 years
    Study mode
    Combination
    Full fee
    Not stated by provider

    What students say

    Many students speak well of the facilities and campus, and some rate the trainers and teaching highly, though opinions are mixed on the trainers and teaching and student support, and some found the organisation and admin frustrating.

  • Aimpoint

    Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
    Campuses
    Aimpoint
    Duration
    Not yet checked
    Study mode
    Not yet checked
    Full fee
    Not yet checked

  • South Metropolitan TAFE

    Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
    Campuses
    14 campuses
    Duration
    Not yet checked
    Study mode
    Not yet checked
    Full fee
    Not yet checked

    What students say

    Students often rate the trainers and teaching highly, though opinions are mixed on both teaching and campus facilities. Some also found student support frustrating to access.

  • National Skills Pty Ltd

    Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
    Campuses
    National Skills Pty Ltd
    Duration
    Not yet checked
    Study mode
    Not yet checked
    Full fee
    Not yet checked

    What students say

    Most students rate the student support highly, many praise the organisation and admin, and many value the communication.

  • South West Institute of TAFE

    Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
    Campuses
    5 campuses
    Duration
    Not yet checked
    Study mode
    Not yet checked
    Full fee
    Not yet checked

Last reviewed 20 September 2026.

Set your location

Enter your postcode to see the providers closest to you first.

We use your postcode to sort providers by distance and to understand where people are looking to study. See our privacy policy.

Is this course right for you?

Entry requirements

There are no entry requirements for this qualification.

  • Providers can set their own conditions, such as a minimum age or a current job in the industry, and practical training may need a workplace placement. Check each provider above.

Entry recommendations

To be prepared for this course, it helps to have:

  • an interest in working with metal surfaces and protective coatings
  • a careful attitude to safety in blast yards and confined spaces
  • good measurement and quality checking skills
  • the ability to notice when a coating approach is not working

What will you learn?

You learn abrasive blasting to Australian Standard requirements, surface preparation for coating, and how to apply liquid or solid polymer coatings to a written specification. Much of the work happens in blast yards, inside confined spaces or at heights, so safety, measurement and quality checking run through the whole course. Graduates work under routine supervision, either in a manufacturer's factory or on site as contractors, and are expected to notice when the specified approach is not working and take action.

  • Taking engineering measurements
  • Trade calculations
  • Planning routine and complete tasks
  • Quality systems and checks
  • Working safely on site
  • Environmentally sustainable work practices

Units of competency (11 core)

Everyone completes these core units. Select a unit to see what it covers.

  • Loading the details for MEM12023A…

Data from training.gov.au and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (CC BY 4.0).