Automotive Body and Related Repairers

Repair and refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames.

What you’d do

File, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools.
Inspect repaired vehicles for proper functioning, completion of work, dimensional accuracy, and overall appearance of paint job, and test-drive vehicles to ensure proper alignment and handling.
Fit and weld replacement parts into place, using wrenches and welding equipment, and grind down welds to smooth them, using power grinders and other tools.
Prime and paint repaired surfaces, using paint sprayguns and motorized sanders.
Follow supervisors' instructions as to which parts to restore or replace and how much time the job should take.
Sand body areas to be painted and cover bumpers, windows, and trim with masking tape or paper to protect them from the paint.
Chain or clamp frames and sections to alignment machines that use hydraulic pressure to align damaged components.
Position dolly blocks against surfaces of dented areas and beat opposite surfaces to remove dents, using hammers.

Little to some preparation: usually a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not need one

Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
- Bright Outlook
- Rapid Growth
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Medium preparation: usually vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree
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