Automotive Painting and Body Technician courses provide students with hands-on-training and experience for work as an Auto Body Technician and Automotive Refinishing Prep Technician, two fields that are in constant demand. Automotive Painting and Body Technician courses focus on developing the skills required to ensure successful entry into an automotive painting and bodywork profession.
The automotive Industry remains one of the most important in North America, despite the restructuring that has captured so much attention. There continues to be mass competition, significant advances in technology, including many “green initiatives”, and ongoing demand to repair and service the some 500 million cars that are already on the road.
Automotive Painting and Body Technician courses will often cover the following topics:
Introduction to the Automotive Industry and shop safety
Automotive detailing
Automotive refinishing prep tools and shop procedures
Materials
Surface preparation
Small dent repair
Priming
Plastic parts refinishing
Masking procedures
Introduction to refinishing procedures
Tools and equipment
Welding technology
Sheet metal repair
Vehicle construction technology
Plastic repair technology
The pay structure for a Refinishing Prep and Auto Body Technician leaves plenty of room for earning growth. On average, Collision Repair Technicians make between $40,000 and $56,000 per year. Pursuing a career in auto body repair painting means you can pursue entry-level positions with a long list of potential employers, including:
New car dealers
Retail collision repair facilities
Custom specialty shops
Heavy duty truck repair facilities
Becoming an entrepreneur and owning your own body shop
Positions for graduates of auto body repair painting courses include:
Automotive Detailer
Apprentice Refinishing Prep Technician
Apprentice Motor Vehicle Body Repairer
Automotive Metal Fabricator/Welder
Plastic Repair Technician
Dent Doctor
Aftermarket Installer
Automotive Refinishing Technician
Automotive Painter
And More
Typical duties for Refinishing Prep or Auto Body Repair Technicians include:
Remove wax, grease and dust from the vehicle
Remove rough spots on vehicle panels and sand surfaces by hand or with air sanders
Minor damage repairs
Restoration of anti-corrosion treatments and substrate preparation
Undercoat product mixing and application ensuring chemical compatibility, adhesion and durability
Application of anti-corrosion compounds
Prep vehicle for paint; masking and priming
Apply primer to repair areas
Paint parts inners
Sand the vehicle several times during the painting process
Possible collision or restorative work, or they may design and create custom paint jobs
Set the booth to dry the paint
Remove masking papers and touch up paintwork
Remove parts, damaged fenders, doors, panels, and grills
Repair structure of vehicles
Remove dents, buckles, and other defects
Repair and replace doors, front-end body, and underbody components
And more