What does a painter apprentice do?
Painter Apprentices work for an organization either full time or part-time while undertaking formal training on the job. Their duties include working out needed materials quantity through job specifications, drawings, or surface measurements, and erecting structures to protect the area from paint such as ladders, scaffoldings, and drop sheets. Painter Apprentices are responsible for removing old paint, preparing surfaces, selecting paints, rolling, brushing, and spraying paint, wallpapering, and putting on decorative finishes such as marbling, color glaze, and stencils.
Painter apprentice responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real painter apprentice resumes:
- Manage painting crews in both commercial and industrial environments from swing stage to high boom work.
- Used HVLP spray gun to paint truck and horse trailer.
- Conduct job performance evaluations, JHA, and JSA.
- Operate scissor lifts and boom lifts to mask various airplanes for paint process.
- Conduct QA and QC in accordance to QP-1 & QP-2 standards and requirements.
- Apply tape, paper and stencils as well as remove them after paint has been apply.
- Apply coats of paint to various fixtures including walls, doors, window trim, and ceilings.
- Set up scaffolding or swing gates, or set up ladders, to work above grind level.
- Experience in erecting various types of scaffolding, staging, ladders, and planks to reach surfaces of work.
- Work in family business utilizing patience and concentration to stain and/or paint interior & exterior doors, trim & windows.
- experience in removal of drywall, mudding drywall, tile floor, grouting, demo, exterior and interior painting.
- Contain and paint large areas inside industrial plants and also run jobs and place people to do jobs (foremen).
- Operate a variety of tools including power saws, see saws, power drills, planers, jointers, and routers.
- Climb ladders and complete work utilizing rollers with extensions requiring repetitive motion.
- Perform duties including mowing, trimming shrubs, plowing snow, spraying pesticides and more.
Painter apprentice skills and personality traits
We calculated that 24% of Painter Apprentices are proficient in Work Ethic, Coats, and Scaffolding. They’re also known for soft skills such as Color vision, Customer-service skills, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Painter Apprentices that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Work Ethic, 24%
Set a high work ethic; neat, professional and a safe work environment was a must.
- Coats, 15%
Prime all exposed structure with an epoxy primer followed with 2 coats of a moisture cured urethane.
- Scaffolding, 12%
Worked at WE Energies Power Plant painting industrial steel, climbed in steel, used aerial lifts and scaffolding.
- Exterior Surfaces, 11%
Assisted in demolishing interior and exterior surfaces in homes for remodeling.
- Direct Supervision, 11%
Applied exterior caulking to building joints and seams under direct supervision.
- Caulking, 3%
Prepared surfaces for the application of deck coatings, cosmetic caulking, and painting.
Common skills that a painter apprentice uses to do their job include "work ethic," "coats," and "scaffolding." You can find details on the most important painter apprentice responsibilities below.
Detail oriented. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of painter apprentices is detail oriented. This skill is critical to many everyday painter apprentice duties, as "painters must be precise when creating or painting edges for overall quality of appearance." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "assisted the painter in producing cost estimates after studying work details loaded and unloaded work vehicle with painting materials. "
Physical strength. A big part of what painter apprentices do relies on "physical strength." You can see how essential it is to painter apprentice responsibilities because "painters must be able to lift at least 50 pounds and move heavy items during the course of a job." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical painter apprentice tasks: "performed interior and exterior painting and other job related physical labor. "
The three companies that hire the most painter apprentices are:
- National Indoor RV Centers
8 painter apprentices jobs
- Redfin2 painter apprentices jobs
- Six Flags2 painter apprentices jobs
Choose from 10+ customizable painter apprentice resume templates
Build a professional painter apprentice resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your painter apprentice resume.
Compare different painter apprentices
Painter apprentice vs. Mason
A mason is responsible for shaping artificial mineral products, concrete blocks, stone pieces, and bricks to create structures essential for construction or other building purposes using various machinery and equipment, following the highest safety standards and production procedures. Masons analyze schematics and blueprints, applying the clients' specifications and customization to their product expertise. They also inspect tools and equipment, ensuring that the materials are free from any defects to avoid hazards and construction delays.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between painter apprentices and mason. For instance, painter apprentice responsibilities require skills such as "work ethic," "coats," "exterior surfaces," and "direct supervision." Whereas a mason is skilled in "masonry," "safety regulations," "dump truck," and "retaining walls." This is part of what separates the two careers.
The education levels that masons earn slightly differ from painter apprentices. In particular, masons are 4.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a painter apprentice. Additionally, they're 1.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Painter apprentice vs. Tile setter
A Tile Setter often does tile installations. First of all, he/she cuts the tiles into different or specific sizes using different tools like tile scribes, handheld tile cutters, or wet saws. After this, he/she lays them in the mortar that has been spread evenly; he/she does it with precision, ensuring clean edges and straight lines. In essence, you will have the responsibility to meet up with clients, discuss tiling requirements, order stock supplies, cut tiles to size, and install them according to clients' needs or specifications.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that painter apprentice responsibilities requires skills like "work ethic," "coats," "scaffolding," and "exterior surfaces." But a tile setter might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "floor designs," "kitchen floors," "demo," and "power grinders."
On average, tile setters earn a higher salary than painter apprentices. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, tile setters earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $44,187. Whereas painter apprentices have higher pay in the construction industry, with an average salary of $37,857.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Tile setters tend to reach similar levels of education than painter apprentices. In fact, they're 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Painter apprentice vs. Powder coating painter
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a painter apprentice is likely to be skilled in "work ethic," "scaffolding," "exterior surfaces," and "direct supervision," while a typical powder coating painter is skilled in "coat painting," "color changes," "quality standards," and "safety equipment."
Powder coating painters earn the highest salary when working in the automotive industry, where they receive an average salary of $38,696. Comparatively, painter apprentices have the highest earning potential in the construction industry, with an average salary of $37,857.Most powder coating painters achieve a similar degree level compared to painter apprentices. For example, they're 1.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Painter apprentice vs. Maintenance painter
Types of painter apprentice
Updated January 8, 2025
