How to become an industrial spraypainter and automotive refinisher
Official title: Industrial spraypainter and automotive refinisher
Also called: Industrial spray painter, Car painter, Automotive spray painter, Car spray painter apprentice, Vehicle painter, Auto refinisher, Vehicle refinisher
Industrial spraypainters and automotive refinishers prepare and paint surfaces using painting machines and equipment. They may powder coat or resurface industrial parts and machinery.
Main tasks
- Prepare surfaces for painting and refinishing
- Operate spray painting and coating equipment
- Adjust spray controls for even coverage
- Connect paint and air supply lines
- Load paint into equipment
- Mount spray tools and attachments
- Feed parts through painting equipment
- Remove painted parts from equipment
How to become one
You usually learn on the job to become an industrial spray painter and automotive refinisher and a qualification may be useful. You usually need NCEA Level 2 to do the study or training for this job. Other requirements: to do an apprenticeship in painting, decorating, and signwriting; a New Zealand Certificate in Painting and Decorating (Level 4); a New Zealand Certificate in Collision Repair and Automotive Refinishing (Level 3); a New Zealand Certificate in Automotive Refinishing (Level 4).
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Apprenticeship in painting, decorating, and signwriting. TEC links this job to study in building and construction. New Zealand apprenticeship (NZQA level 4). Qualifications: NZ Cert in Painting and Decorating. Usually 2.5 years. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $61,000 a year one year after study and $66,000 five years after; 90% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).
- Certificates and diplomas: Entry certificates in automotive engineering and mechanics. TEC links this job to study in automotive engineering and technology. Qualifications: NZ Cert in Automotive Engineering. Usually 1 year. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $51,000 a year one year after study and $60,000 five years after; 66% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).
Pay · Past change
- Most common pay: $59,000 to $85,000 a year (median $71,000), a TEC estimate before tax.
- Upper: $103,000 a year
- TEC's pay figures are estimates only. TEC says they must not be used to set pay, in pay negotiations or in visa applications.
- Change in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses: Steady (TEC). This is past change, not a forecast.
Who does this work
- About 2,500 people did this job at the 2023 Census (TEC).
Related jobs
- Rolling stock mechanic
- Marine technician
- Bicycle mechanic
- Diesel mechanic
- Automotive electrician
- Collision repair technician
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Questions people ask
How do I become an industrial spraypainter and automotive refinisher?
You usually learn on the job to become an industrial spray painter and automotive refinisher and a qualification may be useful. You usually need NCEA Level 2 to do the study or training for this job. Other requirements: to do an apprenticeship in painting, decorating, and signwriting; a New Zealand Certificate in Painting and Decorating (Level 4); a New Zealand Certificate in Collision Repair and Automotive Refinishing (Level 3); a New Zealand Certificate in Automotive Refinishing (Level 4).
How much does an industrial spraypainter and automotive refinisher earn in New Zealand?
The Tertiary Education Commission estimates median pay at $71,000 a year, before tax. Most common pay is $59,000 to $85,000 a year.
Has the number of people working as an industrial spraypainter and automotive refinisher grown in New Zealand?
It has held steady: TEC records the number of people doing this job as steady between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses. This is past change, not a forecast.
Sources
- Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatu Career Navigator): Tahatu career ideas: descriptions, tasks, pay estimates, people employed, employment change 2018 to 2023, entry requirements, registration, interest scores (Site scrape 2026-10 (816 career ideas, sitemap lastmod 2026-10-01)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
This content is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahatu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. All or some of the information has been modified by Peernovo. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this content.
Qualification information from NZQA, used under CC BY 3.0 NZ.
This work is based on/includes Stats NZ's data which are licensed by Stats NZ for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Census data via Figure.NZ.
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Sources: Tertiary Education Commission, Tahatū Career Navigator (career ideas, pay estimates, entry requirements and study options, CC BY 4.0, modified by Peernovo); Stats NZ, 2023 Census (via Figure.NZ) and the National Occupation List (CC BY 4.0); NZQA qualification information (CC BY 3.0 NZ); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Links between career ideas and ANZSCO groups, degree fields and broad job groups are Peernovo's.
These results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Graduate outcomes: these results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Updated 4 October 2026