Why would anybody want to become a painter? Why should young men or women even consider employment in the trades? These are both valid questions stemming from incorrect assumptions that young people have about the trades. Let’s examine why being a painter or working in trades is a great career choice based on some undisputable facts.
- Unemployment
rates of University and College graduates are high,
- Many
graduates that are working, have jobs not related to their field of study.
- Almost
every student graduating is burdened with thousands of dollars worth of
student loans. This is not an ideal way for young men or women to
start their working life.
Learning a trade does not mean that you don’t have what it
takes to complete College or University. You can be intelligent and still
choose to make your living with your hands. In fact, more and more
young men and women end up
working in trades after getting another degree. We see this in our
company all the time. Our average painter or job manager has some College or
University education.
What Does a Painter Do?
Painters prepare surfaces and apply coatings mostly for
protective and decorative purposes.
These surfaces can be wood, drywall, plaster, concrete,
steel, etc. Interior surfaces are inside commercial or residential buildings
such as homes, offices, factories, institutions and other facilities. Exteriors
of homes, buildings and other structures are mainly painted to protect them
from the weather elements. Coatings come in many colours and can also be used
to decorate and beautify.
There are other trades and skills that painters can learn to
diversify their expertise and skill level. There is demand for wallcovering
specialists, decorative and faux finishers, epoxy floor installers. Plaster and
drywall finishers work hand in hand with painters in new construction.
How Does Someone Become a Painter?
Some painters learn their skills working for companies mostly under the wing of more experienced painters. It takes a painter at least 2 or 3 years to acquire most of the relevant and useful skills a company uses. It’s a good idea to ask a contractor you want to work for if they have a training program.
Starting a painting business.
After learning the
different facets of the trade, some painters decide to become independent
contractors. Starting your own business is always better when you are familiar
with the inner workings of the industry. A field painter will learn customer
relations, production systems, and master the efficient application of
coatings.
Running a successful and profitable business can be a good
career choice for painters. Keep in mind that a good technician is not necessarily
a good business operator. Running a business requires financial knowledge,
marketing and many other business skills. A good painter with sufficient
business education has a good chance of running a successful business.
What Are the Benefits of Being a Professional Painter?
Cost savings considerations.
It is always cheaper to learn to be a painter than earn a
university or College degree. Whether through an accredited apprenticeship or
learning on the job, you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to buy a
career. When you are ready to join the workforce full time, you don’t have
student loans to deal with.
Good prospects as a Professional Painter.
Every structure and every home will be painted at some
point, then painted over and over again. No new building project is complete
without the final contribution from the finish trades. While most other trades
are important contributors, painters will be forever painting and maintaining
the same structure. Then there is the job security factor. Trade jobs cannot be
outsourced and the bulk of the work must be produced on site. Some products are
hitting the market prefinished with “lifetime” coatings but painters need not
to worry. These products are limited and so is their popularity.
Financial Compensation.
The earning potential of trades rivals and often exceeds the
earnings of most other occupations. It addition to regular pay, some in the
industry receive commissions, bonuses and incentives tied to production. This
is the norm for crew leaders, operation managers and estimators. Today
most of the trades offer good income and benefits. Considering the skill
shortages predicted in the future, trades will be in demand and compensation
will certainly increase. An experienced painter working for a good company will
get paid well. Full time commercial estimators and experienced project managers
are in demand already and can make a good living. The sky is the limit of
course for the business painter with business training. Even though the market
is competitive, running a painting business can be rewarding and profitable.
In conclusion, becoming a professional painter is a viable career with many unique rewards. Our company hires and trains young people from time to time. We encourage you to approach us with any general or specific questions about becoming a painter. Your next career could be just a phone call away.