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Painter and Decorator Apprenticeship

What Does a Painter & Decorator Do?
What Are the Working Conditions?
How is the Training Structured?
What are the Application Requirements?
What Skills Should I Possess?
Who Do I Contact?
Additional Resources

Did you know?*

• Employment prospects for painters should be excellent due to the large numbers of workers who leave the occupation for other jobs; paperhangers will face very limited opportunities.
• Most workers learn informally on the job as helpers, but some experts recommend completion of an apprenticeship program.
• About 42 percent of painters and paperhangers are self-employed.
• The Painter and Decorator apprenticeship is a 4-year program

*Statistics retrieved from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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What Does a Painter & Decorator Do?

Painters apply paint, stain, varnish and other finishes to buildings and other structures.  They select the right paint or finish for the surface to be covered, taking into account durability, ease of handling, method of application and customer’s wishes. Painters first prepare the surfaces to be covered, so that the paint will adhere properly. This may require removing the old coat of paint by stripping, sanding, wire brushing, burning, scraping, or water and abrasive blasting.  Painters also wash walls and trim to remove dirt and grease, fill nail holes and cracks, sandpaper rough spots and brush off dust. On new surfaces, they apply a primer or sealer to prepare the surface for the finish coat. Painters also mix paints and match colors, relying on knowledge of paint composition and color harmony. They also cover walls and ceilings with decorative wall coverings made of paper, vinyl or fabric.

Tasks:

• Exterior: preparing surface, sandpaper, spackling and puttying; color mixing, application of material (priming and finish coats); and removing paint.
• Abrasive and water blasting and rigging.
• Interior: woodwork, including: finishing wood trim with enamel and varnish, woodwork; poor filing, shellacking, spackling; preparing stains, staining, bleaching wood; blending, glazing; spraying and spray equipment.
• Wall surfaces, including: preparing, paint stippling; finishing walls with flat coat and enamels; various types of finishes.
• Wall covering, including: preparing, sizing walls; paste making and mixing of prepared paste; applying various types of wall covering, including vinyl, random match patterns, paper and foils.
• Decorating, including: coloring, mixing, color harmony; stenciling (design and cutting); striping, metal leafing, faux finishing, decorative finishes, marbling, and other decorative finishes (including sponges, rag rolling, glazing, etc).
• Comply with OSHA safety procedures, including: identify jobsite safety rules; erect rolling scaffolding; erect fixed scaffolding; dispose of jobsite debris; sweep jobsite floors; scrape jobsite floors; store unused equipment and material on jobsite; perform a final jobsite clean up.

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What Are the Working Conditions?

Painters and paperhangers stand for prolonged periods. Their jobs also require a considerable amount of climbing, bending, kneeling, crouching, crawling and reaching with arms raised overhead often on scaffolding, ladders, and working at heights. Painters often work outdoors but seldom in wet, cold or inclement weather. Painters wear masks to reduce exposure to hazardous materials or paint fumes when working in areas with poor ventilation. Much of the work is done alone requiring independent thinking, safety awareness and ability to communicate with the customer. Special equipment is often used; such as equipment for welding, for use while scaffolding, on booms and lifts.

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How is the Training Structured?

• 4 year training program
• 6,240 hours on-the-job training
• 400 hours paid related instruction
• Minimum of 80 hours unpaid related instruction (the local committee determines the total number of hours of unpaid instruction)
• Apprentice must complete Red Cross First Aid and OSHA Safety Training Courses (included in 80 hours of unpaid instruction)
• Apprentice must complete in his/her final year the Transition-To-Trainer Course

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What are the Application Requirements?

• Applicants must be at least 17 years of age
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Meet required norms on aptitude test (if required)
• Physically able to perform trade
• Ability to distinguish colors
• Valid driver's license or reliable transportation

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What Skills Should I Possess?

• Building and Construction- Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, and commercial construction.
• Mathematics- Knowledge of arithmetic, basic algebra, and their applications.
• Communication- Oral and written with an emphasis on understanding verbal instructions in English, written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Vision- Be able to distinguish color.
• Dependability- Job requires being reliable, responsible, dependable, and on time.
• Extent Flexibility- The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Control Precision- The ability to adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness- The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
• Inductive Reasoning- The ability to combine pieces of information from a work schedule to complete a job timely within quality standards.
• Initiative- Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
• Trunk Strength- The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
• Wrist-Finger Speed- The ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.

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Who Should I Contact In My Area?

Choose your area:
Northeast
Northwest
Southeast
Southwest

Northeast

Committee Name	Contact This Committee:	OR Contact Your BAS Representative:
ABC of Wisconsin	5330 Wall St. Madison, WI 53718 Phone: (608) 244-6056 Fax: (608) 244-2401	Kathy O'Sullivan Jane Kramer
Madison Area Painting & Decorating JAC	1571 Ivory Dr Sun Prairie, WI 53590 Phone: (608) 834-1690 Fax: (608) 834-0044	Mary Pierce

Northwest

Committee Name	Contact This Committee:	OR Contact Your BAS Representative:
ABC of Wisconsin	5330 Wall St. Madison, WI 53718 Phone: (608) 244-6056 Fax: (608) 244-2401	Kathy O'Sullivan
Madison Area Painting & Decorating JAC	1571 Ivory Dr Sun Prairie, WI 53590 Phone: (608) 834-1690 Fax: (608) 834-0044	Mary Pierce

Southeast

Committee Name	Contact This Committee:	OR Contact Your BAS Representative:
ABC of Wisconsin	5330 Wall St. Madison, WI 53718 Phone: (608) 244-6056 Fax: (608) 244-2401	Jane Kramer Mary Harrington
Kenosha Area Painting & Decorating JAC	P.O. Box 510308 New Berlin, WI 53151 Phone: (262) 657-1287
Madison Area Painting & Decorating JAC	1571 Ivory Dr Sun Prairie, WI 53590 Phone: (608) 834-1690 Fax: (608) 834-0044	Mary Pierce
Milwaukee Area Painting & Decorating JAC	P.O. Box 510308 New Berlin, WI 53151 Phone: (262) 657-1287	Hafeezah Ahmad
Racine Area Painting & Decorating JAC	3003 39th Avenue Rm102 Kenosha, WI 53144 Phone: (262) 657-0988

Southwest

Committee Name	Contact This Committee:	OR Contact Your BAS Representative:
ABC of Wisconsin	5330 Wall St. Madison, WI 53718 Phone: (608) 244-6056 Fax: (608) 244-2401	Kathy O'Sullivan
Madison Area Painting & Decorating JAC	1571 Ivory Dr Sun Prairie, WI 53590 Phone: (608) 834-1690 Fax: (608) 834-0044	Mary Pierce

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Additional Resources

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics maintains information on all occupations. For more information on the Painting and Decorating trade in the United States, visit:

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos209.htm

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Sources: Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards Position Descriptions,
Apprenticeship in Wisconsin Handbook

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