APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

An apprenticeship training program consists of on-the-job and in-school training. Generally, the time-frame to become competent in the trade of Automotive Painter is 4,800 hours (approximately two and a half years) consisting of 4,560 hours of on-the-job work experience and 240 hours of in-school training. 

ON-THE-JOB TRAINING

An apprenticeship involves practical training provided on-the-job by a skilled worker, or trainer. The skills or competencies to be developed are set out by the trade’s Apprenticeship Training Standard and are recognized by the industry as being essential to the practice of the trade.

As these essential skills are developed, the apprentice’s sponsor or trainer signs the relevant sections of the training standard to indicate that the apprentice has met the individual training objectives by demonstrating the skills required of a skilled worker, or journeyperson, in the trade.

IN-SCHOOL TRAINING

An Automotive Painter apprenticeship includes one level of theoretical training, which includes but is not limited to instruction in:

• applied shop practices (trade classifications, shop safety, compressed air delivery and spray booths)
• preparation (cleaning and masking, paint identification, sanding and spray guns)
• applications (undercoats, corrosion protections and colour matching/application)
• applications (topcoats, spot and panel repair, plastic refinish, detailing, masking material and over-spray removal)

Depending on the training delivery agency, in-school training may be available in one of the following ways:

• block release (full-time, for a set number of weeks)
• day release (one day per week from September to June)
• part-time (night-school programs)
• alternative delivery (online, correspondence, etc.)

Automotive Painter is a trade named under the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021. This trade has an apprenticeship program that is administered by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development. Upon completion of an apprenticeship program, the Ministry issues a Certificate of Apprenticeship.

This trade has a certifying exam. When the certifying exam is passed, Skilled Trades Ontario will issue a Certificate of Qualification in this trade. Because this trade is non-compulsory, this certificate does not have to be renewed, and the information of individuals practicing this trade will not appear on the Skilled Trades Ontario Public Register.

In Ontario, the trade is part of the Interprovincial Red Seal Program—the national standard for the trade across Canada— under the title Automotive Refinishing Technician: www.red-seal.ca.