Car Painting

What is car painting?  

A career in car painting involves cleaning and preparing panels for paint applications. Car painters are required to mix and apply undercoats and clear coats as well as refinish plastic substrates. They perform the prepping and painting of objects on steel body panels. In addition, they remove surface paint defects on automotive parts. In these cases, they perform a colour tinting to a blend-able match. Car painters use a variety of equipment including sanders, blow guns, painting tools, spray guns, and polishers. 

Automotive painters perform some or all of the following duties: 

HOW TO JOIN THE FIELD 

Completion of secondary school is usually required. 

Completion of a two- to three-year automotive painter apprenticeship program or a combination of one year of work experience in the automotive painter trade and completion of a high school or college automotive painting program is usually required for automotive painter trade certification. 

Trade certification is compulsory in Alberta and British Columbia and available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. 

Interprovincial trade certification (Red Seal) is also available to qualified automotive painters. 

INDIGENOUS AND REMOTE CONSIDERATIONS  

Many Indigenous and remote communities have mechanical knowledge, particularly when it comes to machines used to hunt. This enables people to fix machines in order to continue traditional hunting and gathering activities that sustain life. However, there may be less access to formal training on mechanical knowledge. Many fly-in communities do not have access to the types of equipment and workplace technology learn the ropes in this career. Students from these communities may need to relocate to get their education and training and may also need to travel to job sites once they get a career. However, mechanical knowledge is a highly desirable skill when it comes to life in remote communities where access to replacement parts and equipment is more limited than in other parts of the country. 

Although most remote communities have a mechanic in town, some may not have all the tools and equipment to do the auto body work. This may mean that people who wish to pursue this career need to consider relocation for study and employment in this field. 

DISABILITY CONSIDERATIONS 

As this field involves manual skills and potentially uncomfortable working environments, it may be difficult for people with physical disabilities. Some accommodations may be necessary in order to be successful.  It may also involve exposure to chemicals and strong smells, which may affect some people with disabilities. 

Car Painting and the Skills for Success Program

The key Skills for Success for this career path are:

• Creativity & Innovation
• Reading
• Numeracy

Car Painting PDF