Motor Vehicle Body Repairers

Nature of work

Motor vehicle body repairers repair and restore damaged motor vehicle body parts and interior finishing, repaint body surfaces, and repair and/or replace automotive glass. They work for automobile dealerships, automobile body repair shops and automobile appraisal centres. This group also includes metal repairers who repair defective automobile body parts and damage to the bodies of newly assembled cars. They work for motor vehicle manufacturers.

Job duties

Workers in this group:

• Review damage report and estimates of repair cost and plan work to be performed.
• Repair and replace front end components, body components, doors and frame and underbody components.
• Hammer out dents, buckles and other defects using blocks and hammers.
• Use soldering equipment or use plastic filler to fill holes, dents, and seams.
• Remove damaged fenders, panels and grills using wrenches and cutting torch and bolt or weld replacement parts into place.
• Straighten bent frames using frame and underbody pulling and anchoring equipment.
• File, grind, and sand repaired body surfaces using hand and power tools.
• Mask and tape auto body surfaces in preparation for painting.
• Mix paint, blend, and match colors.
• Apply primers and repaint surfaces using brush or spray guns.
• Repair and replace glass components like windshields, windows, and sunroofs.
• Repair or replace interior components like seat frame assembly, carpets, and floorboard insulation.
• Inspect repaired vehicles and test drive vehicles for proper handling.

Sample job titles

• autobody mechanic
• autobody repairer
• autobody technician
• automotive glass technician
• automotive painter
• motor vehicle body repairer
• motor vehicle body technician

Skills

You should have mechanical aptitude, as well as patience, reliability, coordination, and agility. Lightness of touch and attention to detail are important. Some physical strength may be needed. This work requires excellent spatial and form perception. You should be able to visualize a finished piece of work from a sketch or brief description.

Job requirements

Motor vehicle body repairers

• High school is usually required.
• A three- to four-year motor vehicle body repair apprenticeship program or a combination of over three years of work experience in the motor vehicle body repair trade and completion of a high school or college automotive body repair program is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.
• Trade certification for motor vehicle body repairers (metal and paint) is compulsory in Nova Scotia.
• Red Seal Endorsement (RSE) is also available to qualified motor vehicle body repairers (metal and paint) upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

Automotive painters

• High school is usually required.
• A two- to three-year automotive painter apprenticeship program or a combination of one year of work experience in the automotive painter trade and completion of a high school or college automotive painting program is usually required for automotive painter trade certification.
• Automotive painter certification is available, but voluntary, in Nova Scotia.
• Red Seal Endorsement (RSE) is also available to qualified automotive painters upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

Other jobs in this group

• Automotive glass installers usually need high school. Auto glass industry certification is usually required.
• Metal repairers, motor vehicle manufacturing usually need high school. One to two years of on-the-job training are provided.

Other considerations

Motor vehicle body repair and automotive painter tradespersons may progress to supervisory positions with experience. Metal repairers employed in motor vehicle manufacturing may progress to motor vehicle repairer positions through an apprenticeship program, or, with experience, they may progress to supervisory positions in motor vehicle manufacturing.

Regulations

Contacts

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