
PAINTING
CONSTRUCTION
Painters prepare and paint interior and exterior surfaces on residential and commercial properties. Most painters learn their trade on the job or through an apprenticeship. *Painting is a Pre-Apprenticeship program, which offers students the hands-on training and education needed to qualify for apprenticeships.
Career Details
Skills
Students in Painting are trained in the following subject areas:
- Finishing and protecting drywall
- Removing old paint to prepare surfaces prior to painting
- Mixing colors or oils to obtain desired color or consistency
- Learning proper techniques to use brushes, rollers, and spray guns
- Properly covering and protecting surfaces prior to painting
- Creating and maintaining safe painting environments, including the proper use of ladders, scaffolds, lifts, and fall protection
- Setting up, operating, and tending machines to coat or paint a wide variety of products
- Painting walls, equipment, buildings, and other structural surfaces
Requirements
Before entering the program, students must:
- Complete the core curriculum with passing scores on all written and performance tests.
- Have strong math and reading skills.
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Credentials
As a Job Corps student, you will have the opportunity to earn credentials in your training area that may lead to greater employment opportunities, higher wages, and promotions.
Students who complete a center-based program in the Construction training area can earn nationally recognized credentials from organizations such as:
- National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER)
Students training in union-affiliated programs can earn a certificate of completion that offers apprenticeship opportunities and on-the-job experience from organizations such as:
- United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC)
- International Masonry Institute (IMI)
- International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE)
- The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT)
- National Plastering Industry Joint Apprenticeship Trust Fund (NPIJATF)
Painting Numbers to Know
$35K
National average earning potential for this career
18+
Months to complete career training program
Expectations
While on the job, you will be expected to display the following traits at all times:
Attention to detail
Dependability
Integrity
Physical endurance
Steady hands and fingers
Training Facilities

