Painter

Interview with Marit, a painter who works for Jan

Photo: Dmitry Kalinovsky_Dreamstime.

What kind of education do you have?

I took the Painter programme at a technical school, and was an apprentice in a painting firm. I have a craft certificate as a painter.

What kinds of work tasks do you have?

I apply caulk and paint both inside and outside. But Painter involves much more than just painting. I lay floors and hang wallpaper, and I do varnishing and staining. I have also had experience with a number of special techniques for painting old buildings and objects.

How do you like your work?

I think that being a painter is a challenging job. I have a wide variety of working tasks, and paint both new and old things. I especially like working with colour combinations, and I am very concerned with environmental issues. Some kinds of paint and glue emit toxic gases, so I often wear a mask while working. In the business where I was employed, the manager had suffered solvent injury. So he was on disability benefits, and closed the business right after I had earned my trade certificate. He taught me a great deal about taking care of my health and the environment.

What qualities do you think are important for a painter to have?

It’s an advantage to have a practical turn of mind and to be clever with your hands. I also think that accuracy is a necessary quality in this field. A good sense of colour is also important. Often I have to discuss colour combinations with a customer, and it’s not always easy. Taste is a personal thing, so you really have to be diplomatic.