Refinish Technician

Career Opportunities for Refinish Technicians in New Jersey

We all know that automobile paint colors and finishes can affect the value of a car, truck, or motorcycle. In addition, many company fleets rely on colors or painted logos to identify their brand. If you like to work with vehicles and appreciate color and appearance, consider investigating the job role of refinish technician. Pennco Tech provides basic training in these skills as part of our Collision Repair program. We are accepting Collision Repair applications at our Blackwood, New Jersey campus

Benefits of Learning to Become a Refinish Technician

Along with automotive body and glass repairers, refinish technicians work at vehicle manufacturing facilities and body shops. These detail-oriented technicians paint the exterior of the automobile, truck, or motorcycle as part of a repair, customization, or manufacturing process. Transportation is an innovative sector, so new technologies, both in vehicle manufacturing and the coatings and paints required, are always a factor. By learning to become an auto refinish technician, our students are choosing to join with technician and mechanic teams to manufacture vehicles and keep them on the road. They enter a field full of opportunities to keep learning and developing skills along with learning to use new technologies.

Safety is a concern in this field. A great benefit to enrolling in the qualified training program at Pennco Tech is learning what kinds of equipment will protect your eyes, skin, and lungs, as well as considerations about the chemicals and other components of the paint and coatings used by refinish technicians.

What Tasks Are Performed by Refinish Technicians?

The refinish technician who works on damaged vehicles follows the work done on mechanical repairs, realignment, and any dents and bumps that need to be smoothed. When working at a manufacturing plant, vehicles roll through the assembly line, ready for high-tech paint and finishes. In either work environment, auto refinish technicians use breathing apparatus, face masks, and suits that cover the skin. They must also wear gloves and suitable boots when performing these tasks.

Refinish technicians may work with the following tools and instruments:

• Spray machines, robots, and paint booths
• Chemical baths
• Power buffers
• Arc welders and blow torches

Refinish and auto body technicians perform a variety of tasks, including:

• Sanding
• Buffing
• Priming
• Painting
• Cleaning, maintaining, and setting up spray equipment
• Calculating cost estimates
• Restoring coatings
• Complying with hazardous waste regulations

Refinish Technician Job and Pay Prospects

As is true of many trade careers, replacement workers are needed as the baby boomer generation retires and leaves the workforce. Within the transportation industry, there are several influences on job growth. For example, new electric vehicles require different coating and paint repair compounds and techniques. At the same time, recycling initiatives and macroeconomic forces regarding supply chains may keep older vehicles in use and in need of maintenance. And for those more artistically inclined vehicle technicians, the demand for more customization and beautification of personal vehicles is another market of interest.

The pay scales for refinish technicians vary by state and type of work performed. According to ZipRecruiter, the average automotive refinishing technician salary in New Jersey was $46,522 as of October 2023. The same data provided an average salary in Pennsylvania of $43,191.

Career Paths in Automobile Collision Repair

In the Collision Repair program at Pennco Tech, students also learn useful skills and techniques, including:

• TIG and MIG welding skills
• Auto body electrical wiring
• Preparing and applying body fillers
• Frame analysis and straightening
• Inspection procedures to determine damage

With this great base of skills, techniques, and knowledge, our graduates can pursue chosen specializations. By continuing their on-the-job education and training, those who wish to advance their careers may choose to promote their skills as airbrush and detail technicians, develop commercial equipment prep skills, or become a manager or owner of a vehicle repair shop. Refinish technicians can also choose to work in a manufacturing environment, with the advancement opportunities available within larger companies, or develop related skills required for maintaining transportation fleets.

Learn Skills for Refinish Technicians at Pennco Tech

Pennco Tech has been offering quality trade career programs for over 50 years. Take advantage of our automotive programs to develop your new career in vehicle production, repair, and maintenance. We welcome all types of students and are proud to support military veterans with our programs. Over 80 percent of the Pennco Tech student body qualifies for financial aid. Pennco Tech offers quality vocational school programs at our two convenient campus locations in Bristol, PA, and Blackwood, NJ. For more information, contact us today.

*Financial Aid available only to those who qualify.