Panel Beater (WA)

Education and Training:

To become a panel beater you usually have to complete an apprenticeship in Automotive Vehicle Body. Entry requirements may vary but employers usually require Year 10. Ask your career adviser about the possibility of starting some of this training in school.

Additional Information:

To work as a panel beater in WA you will need to obtain, or be employed by someone who holds, a Motor Vehicle Repairer's Certificate. This certificate can be obtained from the Department of Commerce, Commissioner for Consumer Protection. See their website for more information.

Related Courses:

While the following courses are related to this occupation, they may not necessarily lead directly to employment, nor provide the most direct pathway to the occupation. Courses which provide preliminary or informal training, as well as those which provide additional job skills following initial qualifications may also be listed.

*Course is offered by more than one institution. Click link for details.

Employment Opportunities:

Panel beaters mainly work for crash repairers, new and used car dealers and motor vehicle manufacturers. A few work for motor body builders on the construction of new bodywork.

Panel beaters may progress to supervisory and management positions, especially in larger organisations. They may also establish their own motor vehicle repair businesses.

Others may move across from panel beating to related occupations such as vehicle painting and welding. Some become loss assessors in insurance companies or take up sales positions in industrial machinery and equipment.

Employment opportunities depend on the number of cars on the road, the number of accidents and technological change, especially in vehicle body structures and materials.