Median Annual Wage: $40,770
Projected Growth: Average (8% to 14%)
Related Job Titles: Automotive Painter; Auto Painter (Automobile Painter); Paint Prepper; Automotive Refinish Technician; Finish Painter; Paint Technician; Auto Refinisher (Automobile Refinisher); Automotive Paint Technician (Auto Paint Technician); Body Technician/Painter; Top Coater
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Source: O*NET OnLine information for Painters, Transportation Equipment.
More Production Careers
- Mix paints to match color specifications or vehicles' original colors, stirring or thinning paints, using spatulas or power mixing equipment.
- Dispose of hazardous waste in an appropriate manner.
- Remove grease, dirt, paint, or rust from vehicle surfaces in preparation for paint application, using abrasives, solvents, brushes, blowtorches, washing tanks, or sandblasters.
- Spray prepared surfaces with specified amounts of primers and decorative or finish coatings.
- Pour paint into spray guns and adjust nozzles and paint mixes for proper paint flow and coating thickness.
- Monitor painting operations to identify flaws, such as blisters or streaks, and correct their causes.
- Remove accessories, such as chrome or mirrors, from vehicles and mask other surfaces with tape or paper to protect them from paint.
- Disassemble, clean, and reassemble sprayers or power equipment, using solvents, wire brushes, and cloths.
- Select the correct spray gun system for the material being applied.
- Fill small dents or scratches with body fillers and smooth surfaces to prepare vehicles for painting.
- Apply rust-resistant undercoats and caulk and seal seams.
- Sand vehicle surfaces between coats of paint or primer to remove flaws and enhance adhesion for subsequent coats.
- Sand and apply sealer to properly dried vehicle finish.
- Buff and wax the finished paintwork.
- Clean equipment and work areas.
- Apply primer over any repairs made to vehicle surfaces.
- Adjust controls on infrared ovens, heat lamps, portable ventilators, or exhaust units to speed the drying of vehicles between coats.
- Allow the sprayed product to dry and touch up any missed spots.
- Operate lifting or moving devices to move equipment or materials to access areas to be painted.
- Set up portable equipment, such as ventilators, exhaust units, ladders, or scaffolding.
- Use brush to hand-paint areas in need of retouching or unreachable with a spray gun.
Source: O*NET OnLine information for Painters, Transportation Equipment.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Source: O*NET OnLine information for Painters, Transportation Equipment.