Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers

Career Summary:

Apply coatings, such as paint, ink, or lacquer, to protect or decorate workpiece surfaces, using spray guns, pens, or brushes.
Examine finished surfaces of workpieces to verify conformance to specifications; then retouch any defective areas.
Clean and maintain tools and equipment, using solvents, brushes, and rags.
Read job orders and inspect workpieces to determine work procedures and materials required.
Clean surfaces of workpieces in preparation for coating, using cleaning fluids, solvents, brushes, scrapers, steam, sandpaper, or cloth.
Rinse, drain, or wipe coated workpieces to remove excess coating material or to facilitate setting of finish coats on workpieces.
Place coated workpieces in ovens or dryers for specified times in order to dry or harden finishes.
Select and mix ingredients to prepare coating substances according to specifications, using paddles or mechanical mixers.
Melt or heat coating materials to specified temperatures.
Conceal blemishes in workpieces, such as nicks and dents, using fillers such as putty.
Immerse workpieces into coating materials for specified times.
Cut out sections in surfaces of materials to be inlaid with decorative pieces, using patterns and knives or scissors.
Position and glue decorative pieces in cutout sections of workpieces, following patterns.

Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Employers increasingly seek high school graduates for this occupation. Apprenticeship programs are available. An apprentice is required to perform 6,000 hours of on-the-job training in conjunction with 450 hours of related classroom instruction. Courses include design, lettering, painting, rigging, graphics, and billboards. High school students will find computer aided drafting and design, graphic arts, and art useful.

Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Moral Values - Workers on this job are never pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
Independence - Workers on this job do their work alone.
Activity - Workers on this job are busy all the time.
Company Policies and Practices - Workers on this job are treated fairly by the company.
Ability Utilization - Workers on this job make use of their individual abilities.
Support-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Supervision, Human Relations - Workers on this job have supervisors who back up their workers with management.
Achievement-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

*Some salaries are listed at an hourly rate. Those that include a single dollar amount are considered hourly wage.

For an explanation of salary data please visit acinet.org

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