Industrial Spray Painter
Kairehu Ahumahi
This job is sometimes referred to by alternative titles
Industrial spray painters prepare, paint, powder-coat or resurface industrial parts and machinery and other items used in homes, offices and industries.
Pay
Industrial spray painters usually earn
$37K-$62K per year
Source: Careers New Zealand research, 2017
Job opportunities
Vocational pathwaysPay
Pay for industrial spray painters varies depending on skills and experience.
Industrial spray painters usually earn between $37,000 and $62,000 a year.
Very experienced or self-employed industrial spray painters may earn more than this.
Source: Careers New Zealand research, 2017.
- PAYE.net.nz website - use this calculator to convert pay and salary information
- Employment New Zealand website - information about minimum wage rates
(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the figures and diagrams in our job information)
What you will do
Industrial spray painters may do some or all of the following:
- sand and clean surfaces to be painted
- decide which products to use for a particular surface
- prepare metals by treating them with chemicals or grit-blasting them
- apply an undercoat
- choose and mix paint
- spray paint or powder-coat objects
- bake powder-coat onto metal in ovens
- polish the finished product
- discuss treatment and painting requirements with customers.
Skills and knowledge
Industrial spray painters need to have knowledge of:
- paint types and colours
- up-to-date coating and preparation methods and technology
- spray-gun painting skills
- safety rules and procedures.
They also need the ability to read and follow complicated instructions for each type of product they use.
Working conditions
Industrial spray painters:
- usually work regular business hours
- work in paint shops and workshops or on clients' sites, including road and rail bridges
- work in conditions that may be noisy and fumey.
What's the job really like?
Mason Hinii
Industrial Spray Painter
What kind of things do you powder-coat?
“Customers bring in different things for powder-coating, which can range in size from 50 millimetres to five metres. Sometimes it's a large surface, like the exterior of a house that needs powder-coating. So we powder-coat the sides and the roof – basically anything on the house made of metal."
What does the job involve?
“It usually takes just 10 minutes to powder-coat something. Then I push it onto a trolley and into the oven where it gets baked for 10 minutes. If there are blemishes, nicks or scratches, the powder-coat won’t come right. The main challenge is getting a smooth finish.
"One of my duties is sorting out jobs and communicating with the rest of the team. The chain isn’t complete without the guys before you.”
What do you like about your job?
“I enjoy getting it done right – when I pass it from my hands to the customer's hands and it’s done perfectly. If you have a keen eye for detail and enjoy variety in a job, then this is the job for you.”
Entry requirements
There are no specific entry requirements to become an industrial spray painter, as skills are gained on the job.
Secondary education
There are no specific secondary education requirements for this job, but science, English, maths and workshop technology are useful.
Personal requirements
Industrial spray painters need to be:
- accurate, with an eye for detail
- able to follow instructions.
Useful experience
Useful experience for industrial spray painters includes:
- painting and decorating work
- vehicle spray painting
- work involving metals
- factory work.
Physical requirements
Industrial spray painters need to have normal colour vision, and not have breathing problems.
Find out more about training
- MITO
- 0800 88 21 21 - www.mito.org.nz
What are the chances of getting a job?
Chances of getting a job as an industrial spray painter are average for those with no experience, as employers prefer experienced workers.
Job chances are good for experienced spray painters due to:
- a building construction boom that is predicted to last until 2021
- trained workers leaving New Zealand to work overseas for higher pay rates
- New Zealand manufacturers needing workers to work on machinery components for export
- national and local government plans to spend over $13 billion on transport networks by 2018.
Your best chance of getting a job is to work for an industrial spray painting company as a labourer. If you can show you have initiative, they may train you in spray painting.
Types of employers varied
Industrial spray painters work for:
- specialist paint shops
- industrial companies
- joinery manufacturing companies, making items such as cabinets and doors
- furniture-making companies.
Approximately 10 percent of industrial spray painters are self-employed.
Sources
- BRANZ and Pacifecon, 'National Construction Pipeline Report 4', July 2016, (www.branz.co.nz).
- Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, '2006-2014 Occupation Data', 2015.
- National Infrastructure Unit, 'The Thirty-Year New Zealand Infrastructure Plan 2015', accessed April 2017, (www.infrastructure.govt.nz).
- Tapp, G, national coatings manager, Intergroup, Careers New Zealand interview, April 2017.
Progression and specialisations
Industrial spray painters may progress to set up their own industrial spray painting business.
Industrial spray painters' working conditions are likely to be noisy, with fumes
Last updated 1 June 2017