Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)
Career Overview
Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) apply paint, wallpaper and other finishes to interior and exterior surfaces of buildings and other structures.
People in this group work for construction companies, painting contractors and building maintenance contractors, or they may be self-employed.
Job Titles
Duties
In general, painters and decorators:
- Apply paint or other materials, such as stains, lacquer, enamel, oil, varnish, fibreglass, metal coating or fire retardant using brushes, rollers or spray equipment
- Determine the amount of materials needed
- Prepare and clean surfaces by scraping, sanding, sandblasting, hydro-blasting or steam-cleaning
- Remove old wallpaper and loose paint
- Repair small cracks and holes in walls
- Mix and thin paint to get desired colour and texture
- Measure, cut and apply wallpaper or fabric to walls
- Put up scaffolding and swing stages
- May advise customers on selection of colour schemes and choice of wall coverings
- May provide cost estimates to clients
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
7,815% Employed Full Time
33%Painters and decorators typically work a standard 40-hour week, with most working in the construction or residential painting industry. Since work is often project-based, workers in this group may experience gaps in between projects.
Painters and decorators often work at heights from ladders and scaffolding, and many of the materials used emit hazardous fumes or suspended particles. Safety procedures and equipment can help minimize health risks.
Career Pathways
With additional training, painters and decorators may be able to transfer their skills to related occupations such as automotive painting.
Experienced workers may advance to supervisory positions or start their own businesses.
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
Secondary (high) school certificate is preferred, though not mandatory.
There are many paths to becoming a painter and decorator:
- Get hired by a construction or painting company and learn on the job
- Begin an apprenticeship program during or after secondary (high) school
- Get training at a certified college or technical institute
Certification is not mandatory in B.C. but may be preferred or required for some commercial and industrial projects. Certification can also offer more well-rounded training and will likely increase work opportunities.
To achieve certification through SkilledTradesBC, workers complete a three-year apprenticeship program that includes 18 weeks of technical training and 4,860 hours of work experience.
Through SkilledTradesBC, painters and decorators are eligible for Red Seal endorsement, which allows holders to work in any province or territory. Once individuals pass the final certification examination, they will automatically receive a Red Seal qualification. Workers with 8,100 hours of documented, directly related work experience can challenge the Red Seal examination.
For more information on certification, visit SkilledTradesBC.
Education programs in B.C.
Top Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
7,815Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 140 | 1.8% |
| Kootenay | 165 | 2.1% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 4,910 | 62.8% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 35 | 0.4% |
| Northeast | 45 | 0.6% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 1,045 | 13.4% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 1,475 | 18.9% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2025-2035)
2,760Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2025-2035)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 40 | 0.6% |
| Kootenay | 10 | -1.9% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,820 | 1.3% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 10 | 0.8% |
| Northeast | 0 | -0.8% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 440 | 0.6% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 450 | 0.8% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2025-2035) |
|---|---|
| Construction | 2,530 |
| Educational Services | 50 |
| Business, Building and Other Support Services | 30 |
| Retail Trade | 20 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 20 |
Insights from Industry
None provided.
Resources
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British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA)www.bccassn.com
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BuildForce Canadawww.buildforce.ca/en
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Finishing Trades Institute of BC (FTI BC)ftibc.ca
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Master Painters and Decorators Association (MPDA)mpda.net/
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SkilledTradesBCskilledtradesbc.ca/
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Decorators & Designers Association of Canada (DDA)ddacanada.com
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Canadian Coatings Associationwww.canpaint.com/
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DC38 (International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, District Council 38)dc38.ca/
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Master Painters Institutewww.mpi.net/
Career Videos
Watch the video below to see what a painter does in a day.
Watch the video below to see what a painter does in a day.
