Painter
What the work is
Applies paint, varnish, wallpaper and other finishes to protect, maintain and decorate surfaces of buildings and structures.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Prepares surfaces by removing old paint and filling holes and cracks, and covers surfaces with drop cloths or masking tape to protect surrounding areas
- Selects and mixes paints and stains to achieve desired colour and texture
- Applies paint, varnish, wallpaper and other finishes using brushes, rollers, sprayers or other tools
- Smooths and sands surfaces between coats of paint or varnish, and inspects finished work to ensure quality and adherence to client specifications
- Collaborates with clients to determine colour schemes and finishes, and estimates materials and labour costs for painting projects
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a painting business working on older houses, new builds and the occasional shopfront. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A tired old room looks brand new after one good day and a steady hand
- A client walks in and stops, then smiles at the colour they were nervous about
- A clean straight line where two colours meet, with no tape bleed at all
Hard days
- Painting a ceiling above your head for hours with a sore neck
- A client who changes the colour after the second coat is on
- Rain forecast for a week, with an outside job that cannot wait any longer
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 361231, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.