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Painters, paint and signboard production workers

How to become a Sign Maker

Also called: Signwriter, Sign artist

Makes all kinds of signs, from standing street signs to large signs on top of buildings.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say high school is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular education or qualification is required to start, but new graduates have often studied design at an art university or senmon gakko (vocational college) first. Work is increasingly computerised, so design skills on computers are needed. Some people study engineering or architecture at university or senmon gakko and work on structural design. Experienced people are often favoured for mid-career hiring. You can also learn the skills at a vocational training school. No qualification is required as such, but for neon signs and similar, you may not be allowed to do the work unless you hold the electrician qualification. A related qualification is the advertising art finishing technician grade of the ginou kentei (national trade skills test) set by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. There is also the outdoor advertising specialist qualification certified by an industry body. These qualifications are often a requirement to be the manager or safety inspector for outdoor advertising. In small businesses, one person often handles production from start to finish, and some gain experience and set up on their own. Good hand skills and a sense of design are needed. When putting up advertising, you also need knowledge to take the streetscape into account and knowledge of prefectural bylaws.

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Sign Maker?

No particular education or qualification is required to start, but new graduates have often studied design at an art university or senmon gakko (vocational college) first. Work is increasingly computerised, so design skills on computers are needed. Some people study engineering or architecture at university or senmon gakko and work on structural design. Experienced people are often favoured for mid-career hiring. You can also learn the skills at a vocational training school. No qualification is required as such, but for neon signs and similar, you may not be allowed to do the work unless you hold the electrician qualification. A related qualification is the advertising art finishing technician grade of the ginou kentei (national trade skills test) set by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. There is also the outdoor advertising specialist qualification certified by an industry body. These qualifications are often a requirement to be the manager or safety inspector for outdoor advertising. In small businesses, one person often handles production from start to finish, and some gain experience and set up on their own. Good hand skills and a sense of design are needed. When putting up advertising, you also need knowledge to take the streetscape into account and knowledge of prefectural bylaws.

How much does a Sign Maker earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥4,977,400 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Painters, paint and signboard production workers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Sign Maker?

Usually not. In this job's census occupation group, only 9% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: National trade skills test (技能検定).

Will AI change the work of a Sign Maker?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026