Getting into a painter apprenticeship

Preparation, mostly. Masking, sanding and cleaning, because coatings fail on bad preparation and that is the first thing you are taught.

• 18 or older.
• High-school diploma or GED for formal apprenticeships.
• Basic math.
• Driver's license for most programs.
• Drug screen and physical. Respirator fit testing where solvents are used.

These are what most programs ask. Every sponsor sets its own, so check the program page before you rely on any of it.

Typically an interview and a practical assessment.

Follows construction activity, with union locals running defined intakes and contractors hiring more continuously.

We do not list application dates, because no registry publishes them and we will not invent one. Calling the training center and asking is the only reliable way, and it takes five minutes.

• Industrial and bridge coating pays considerably better than commercial repaint work. Ask which one a program leads to.
• Certifications in industrial coatings and containment are worth having.
• Lead and solvent safety training is a genuine advantage on an application.

None of this disqualifies you permanently. Most of it is a few months of work.