Painter & Decorator
By: Cocolena Fong
Job Duties and Responsibilities
Mixing and thinning paint
Repairing cracks in walls, making smooth surface of interior and exterior surfaces and other structures
Assisting customers colour choices
Need to have good communication skills
Need to be able to work in any conditions (Indoors/outdoors, high/ground)
Using brushes, rolls, staining, spray and other materials
Building and installing scaffolding for high places
Applying paint on a variety of surfaces
Responsible for your own safety by using safety equipment
Can work for long hours outdoors or indoors
Who reports to the position and who does the position reports to?
Wages
Low wage $14 per hour 2014
Average wage $22 per hour 2014
High wage $32.61 per hour 2014
Possible Work Locations
Interior
While working indoors the Painter and Decorator will have to decorate the area to the customers liking. Meaning, the work that is going to be done is going to be affordable for the customer. The jobs may include:
- Staining, painting and putting finishing touches to doors, walls, etc.
- Putting on wall paper, vinyl and also being able to remove them
- Helping customers achieve the look that they would like such as matching colours
Exterior
- Painting the exterior of the building, not painting the roof tiles, etc.
- Need to paint in high areas like windows by using safety equiptment
Possible Work Hours
Standard work hours is 40 hours (8 hours per day, 5 days a week)
Overtime, you get more work hours, depends on the construction sector and region you work in. Outdoor hours depends on the weather conditions and may need to stand in the same positions for a long time.
Education and Training
Could be in an apprenticeship, while you can work and get paid while you go and study at high school and get all of the hours required. To apply for the apprenticeship program it may vary in each province across canada. Most require at least a grade 9 education or equivalent to enter the program. Some provinces and territories allow high school students to work towards their career as a Painter and Decorator. Most programs run for 12 month periods that includes 3,900 hours of on the job training, three eight-week blocks of technical training and a final certificate exam
Is this a compulsory or voluntary trade?
This is a voluntary trade. If you do get a certificate, it helps you get more jobs and lets many others know that you’re a professional. To become a certified Painter and Decorator, you need to go over approximately three year apprenticeship program. You may need to write the Inter provincial exam to qualify for the Inter provincial Standards’ Red Seal. With a Red Seal, you can work as a Painter and Decorator anywhere in Canada.
Opportunities for Advancement & What Would be Required
To keep their quality of work, they would have to keep up with new technological developments by reading and talking to other Painters and Decorators to advance their techniques and keep up the new trend in order for them to keep getting more customers.
Possible Work Hazards
As a Painter and Decorator have to be comfortable with whatever environment they're in, it also includes high places as well. They’re top priority is their own safety as they need to meet the safety requirements.
Safety Do's and Dont's
Unsafe
Safe
Unsafe
Opportunities For Travel
A Painter and Decorator could work in residential, commercial buildings and even industrial structures like bridges and equipment.
Personal Qualaties you should ask yourself
Are you comfortable in matching various colours?
Are you comfortable in using a verity of hand tools?
are you comfortable in working in the same position for hours?
Do you have good hand working skills?
Are you precise?
Do you care if you get covered in paint or stain?
Do you care if you need to work in a high area?
Are you creative?
Skills Needed
- Need to be able to mix paint
- Use a variety of tools
- Good communication skills
- Colour management
- Being able to put up wallpapers and removing paint and wallpapers off the wall
- Being able to patch up walls
- Being able to withstand any environment that you’re working in
Will there be a demand for this trade in the future in Canada?
In the future their will be a high demand in the future for Painters and Decorators as the employment rate is going to go up in the next few years in Canada.