Occupation

Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers

Human Advantage 56%

Moderate human-AI collaboration

AI Automation Risk Moderate Risk
4 / 10

Some tasks in this role may be augmented by AI, but human oversight and interpersonal skills remain important.

Paint, coat, or decorate articles, such as furniture, glass, plateware, pottery, jewelry, toys, books, or leather.

Also Known As: Air Brush Decorator, Air Brush Operator, Airbrush Painter, Art Gilder, Babbitter, Bake Off Decorator, Bakery Decorator, Balloon Dipper +178 more

Video

Core Tasks

  1. Apply coatings, such as paint, ink, or lacquer, to protect or decorate workpiece surfaces, using spray guns, pens, or brushes.
  2. Examine finished surfaces of workpieces to verify conformance to specifications and retouch any defective areas.
  3. Clean and maintain tools and equipment, using solvents, brushes, and rags.
  4. Read job orders and inspect workpieces to determine work procedures and materials required.

Supplemental Tasks (5)

  1. Select and mix ingredients to prepare coating substances according to specifications, using paddles or mechanical mixers.
  2. Place coated workpieces in ovens or dryers for specified times to dry or harden finishes.
  3. Clean surfaces of workpieces in preparation for coating, using cleaning fluids, solvents, brushes, scrapers, steam, sandpaper, or cloth.
  4. Conceal blemishes in workpieces, such as nicks and dents, using fillers such as putty.
  5. Rinse, drain, or wipe coated workpieces to remove excess coating material or to facilitate setting of finish coats on workpieces.

Education & Training

Job Zone 1 Job Zone One: Little or No Preparation Needed
Education: Some of these occupations may require a high school diploma or GED certificate.
Experience: Little or no previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, a person can become a waiter or waitress even if he/she has never worked before.
On-the-Job Training: Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few days to a few months of training. Usually, an experienced worker could show you how to do the job.

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.

Less than a High School Diploma
59%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
21%
Some College Courses
17%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
3%

Technology & Tools

Hot Technologies

  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Microsoft Excel

Software (5)

  • Adobe FreeHand MX
  • Corel WordPerfect Office Suite

Tools & Equipment (47)

  • Banding wheels
  • Belt dryers
  • Cleaning brushes
  • Cleaning scrapers
  • Computer inkjet printers
  • Computer laser printers
  • Cordless power sanders
  • Decorating wheels
  • Dial calipers
  • Digital hydrometers
  • Digital micrometers
  • Enamel setting kilns
  • Enameling sifters
  • Exposure units
  • Finishing ovens
  • Flash cure units
  • Four-color screen printing machines
  • Glaze brushes
  • Glaze mixers
  • Hot air guns
  • Ink scoops
  • Layout T-squares
  • Mechanical mixers
  • Metal sieves
  • Mini foam rollers
  • Mixing paddles
  • Paint spray guns
  • Painting bridges
  • Palette knife sets
  • Personal computers
  • Plastic sieves
  • Precision rulers
  • Pressure washers
  • Scoop coaters
  • Screen printing press
  • Scrub brushes
  • Silkscreen screens
  • Silkscreen squeegees
  • Soft bristled brushes
  • Specialty paint brushes
  • Spot cleaning guns
  • Spot process screen printing machines
  • Temperature meters
  • Ultraviolet UV curing units
  • Underglaze applicators
  • Vacuum brushes
  • Workpiece dryers

Where This Career Leads

Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.

Skilled Trades Advanced Manufacturing

Zone 1
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers You are here
Zone 2
Painters, Construction and Maintenance 92% match
Zone 3
Patternmakers, Wood 76% match

Resume Builder

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Real Talk

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