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Alabama Department of Labor

Labor Market Information Division
SOC: 51-9122 Painters, Transportation Equipment
Operate or tend painting machines to paint surfaces of transportation equipment, such as automobiles, buses, trucks, trains, boats, and airplanes. Include painters in auto body repair facilities.
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Education: These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
OJT: Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Tasks: Mix paints to match color specifications or vehicles' original colors, stirring or thinning paints, using spatulas or power mixing equipment. Select paint according to company requirements and match paint colors, following specified color charts. Dispose of hazardous waste in an appropriate manner. Remove grease, dirt, paint, or rust from vehicle surfaces in preparation for paint application, using abrasives, solvents, brushes, blowtorches, washing tanks, or sandblasters. Spray prepared surfaces with specified amounts of primers and decorative or finish coatings. Pour paint into spray guns and adjust nozzles and paint mixes for proper paint flow and coating thickness. Monitor painting operations to identify flaws, such as blisters or streaks, and correct their causes. Remove accessories, such as chrome or mirrors, from vehicles and mask other surfaces with tape or paper to protect them from paint. Disassemble, clean, and reassemble sprayers or power equipment, using solvents, wire brushes, and cloths. Select the correct spray gun system for the material being applied. Fill small dents or scratches with body fillers and smooth surfaces to prepare vehicles for painting. Apply rust-resistant undercoats and caulk and seal seams. Sand and apply sealer to properly dried vehicle finish. Sand vehicle surfaces between coats of paint or primer to remove flaws and enhance adhesion for subsequent coats. Buff and wax the finished paintwork. Clean equipment and work areas. Apply primer over any repairs made to vehicle surfaces. Adjust controls on infrared ovens, heat lamps, portable ventilators, or exhaust units to speed the drying of vehicles between coats. Allow the sprayed product to dry and touch up any missed spots. Operate lifting or moving devices to move equipment or materials to access areas to be painted. Set up portable equipment, such as ventilators, exhaust units, ladders, or scaffolding. Use brush to hand-paint areas in need of retouching or unreachable with a spray gun.
License: License not required.
Outlook: Good
Alabama Employment Outlook
Alabama Wage Data
Hourly Wage   Annual Wage
Entry $15.52   Entry $32,283.00
Mean $20.88   Mean $43,422.00
Experience $23.56 Experience $48,991.00

The data is based on the May 2017 Occupation Employment Survey employment and wage estimate file. The wages have been aged using the most current ECI factors reflecting wages as of June 2018.

Alabama Projections
Estimated Employment 2016Projected Employment 2026Annual Average OpeningsAnnual Growth Rate
1,1801,4001551.72
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Occupational Videos
51-9122.00 Painters, Transportation Equipment