My second semester of college is almost over with, still haven't chose a major. Upon reading through my school systems courses I'm growing interested in becoming certified in Automotive painting. Will take 2 years to complete, various classes are involved from bodywork, adhesives/plastics, electrical, and painting itself. Locally there is only one collision/paint business in town and there is a maaco in the next town and that's about it. I've been debating on going towards this certification and opening a shop of my own or working at a shop and getting experience before opening my own. I'm just wondering if this sounds like a good idea, are painters in big demand, is this a skill that will always be needed? I just want your guys thoughts on the idea I figure cars will be around years to come and painting/bodywork is something not everybody can do on their own.
My friend own's a body shop that mostly works on high end hot rods/street rod's. He love's it. I'd rather be a painter than a mechanic any day! I was never good at body work, wish I was.
job Very hard work, will make you very sick, EPA messing with you all the time. Most guys are very sick by age 50.
We are due for a new painter at work. Its tough to find a good one. The new paints seem to change quite often up here now. The painters need to adapt and some just arent good enough to do it. We had a great painter. Rocky who did my car. Got a new manager and he didnt get along. So we have had a few since. Its a tough job with a lot of hazards. You really have to take care of yourself from a safety stand point. Pay isnt very good around here for painters unless you can do prep and paint flat rate collision type work. Then you can make some serious hours. Doing my car at work I realized that body men and painters are way under payed. Being a tech at the dealer I get a decent hourly wage and about 6 dollars an hour more than our top body man. The door rates in the body shop just arent high enough to get the wages up. The insurance companies pay what they choose to pay or they find someone else who will accept their terms. Its a real battle with the insurance companies now. Myself I would really like to paint, but not for a living. I'm sure I could do better than our current painter though. I'm sure some of the guys on here that have their own body shops can give you some advice. Personally I am in awe of good painters. Its very impressive to watch them work and even more impressive to have them explain processes as you go along in a project like mine was. I learned a lot of respect for the body shop and what they do. Its real tough work.
True. My buddy Rocky that did my car has to go for testing at certain intervals since he has some memory issues relative to his job. Its nasty stuff they work with.
I'm currently taking an automotive refinishing class at the local college. The teacher there told us that a master painter can make up to 80K a year. (his words not mine) He said that almost all shop positions are underpaid, however you can still make a lot of money if you are fast and can take on multiple jobs at once.
thanks for the info, yea i would just hope here locally there would be a demand. i didn't consider the health risks that is good to take into consideration
I know that there is a reputable school here in Nashville that is suppose to be one of the best Auto body colleges around. Not sure if you want to leave Ky to go to school, but I hear they are great. I think it is called Nashville Auto and Diesel College.
