Professional paint services are undergoing a serious crisis as the combination of retirement plus the barriers put in place for younger generations to enter the field are creating a situation where the US will see a massive shortage of fully trained professional painters.

When you consider that 40% of the construction workforce in 2012 was made up of the Baby Boom generation it does not bode well for the future profession of painters who make up a considerable portion of that pool. Even in states like Colorado, that shortage of house & interior painters will be felt very soon.

The Crisis in the Painting Profession

While the retirement of the baby boomers has been seen for a long time, the failure to properly adjust by encouraging new blood to enter the profession has put a big crimp on professional painters which will only get worse. Formal craft training centers cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and the wages, while good, are not good enough compared to educations in other professions at half that cost.

In addition, the overall image of the industry needs a going-over as well as elevating the painting profession so that it is affordable to attend, provides attractive wages and is seen in a much better light. Once the attitudes shift in this direction, then the process to address getting new blood into the profession can truly begin.

However, it will still be a difficult task based on recent reports, one of which showed that 59% of the federally registered paint application apprentices from 2006 to 2007 did not finish the program, a number that is simply unacceptable. The graduation rate will have to improve dramatically soon, otherwise the mathematics show that we will run out of experienced paint craftsmen once all of the baby boom generation retires.

While union labor has recognized this problem for years, their proactive effort have run into numerous problems including government red tape at getting funding for recruiting, building training facilities and subsidizing wages. However, since 90% of all construction projects are performed by non-union companies, their efforts are simply not broad enough to address the overall problem.

Potential Solutions

The way to proper address this upcoming shortage requires a multiple-level approach and coordination within the painting profession in order to overcome and survive this crisis.

Educate the Public: The painting profession must be championed, particularly to those at the high school level to demonstrate the value, importance and benefits to becoming a master craftsman in the industry. By promoting the trade properly, painters can show how they utilize the areas of science, art and physical skill.

Proper Craft Training: The training must be complete, thorough and involve owners and professionals in order to fully succeed. This must include both union and non-union professions as well.

Unified Certifications: All training must be universally accepted so that it applies in all states. It must be affordable, achievable and desirable for young people to enter this profession and serve with pride.

It may be as soon as this year when some businesses will be forced to turn down projects because they lack the painting professionals to get the job done. It is vital that all companies pull together to change course. At Dave’s Painting, they are also taking the steps necessary to keep this vital profession alive and well.