Watch clips from "How It's Made" to see how objects like artificial limbs, nails, footballs, mustard, and more are made. Choose a few to watch--which one surprised you most?

Watch how the objects all around us are made.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers

Paint, coat, or decorate articles, such as furniture, glass, plateware, pottery, jewelry, toys, books, or leather.

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Job Zone One: Little or No Preparation Needed

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Actively looking for ways to help people.

Painting Workers

Production Occupations

Other Production Occupations

Apply coatings, such as paint, ink, or lacquer, to protect or decorate workpiece surfaces, using spray guns, pens, or brushes.

Examine finished surfaces of workpieces to verify conformance to specifications and retouch any defective areas.

Clean and maintain tools and equipment, using solvents, brushes, and rags.

Read job orders and inspect workpieces to determine work procedures and materials required.

Select and mix ingredients to prepare coating substances according to specifications, using paddles or mechanical mixers.

Place coated workpieces in ovens or dryers for specified times to dry or harden finishes.

Clean surfaces of workpieces in preparation for coating, using cleaning fluids, solvents, brushes, scrapers, steam, sandpaper, or cloth.

Conceal blemishes in workpieces, such as nicks and dents, using fillers such as putty.

Rinse, drain, or wipe coated workpieces to remove excess coating material or to facilitate setting of finish coats on workpieces.

Adobe FreeHand MX

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Microsoft Excel

Corel WordPerfect Office Suite

Glaze brushes

Soft bristled brushes

Specialty paint brushes

Glaze mixers

Mechanical mixers

Mixing paddles

Spot cleaning guns

Enameling sifters

Metal sieves

Plastic sieves

Finishing ovens

Workpiece dryers

Banding wheels

Decorating wheels

Ink scoops

Scoop coaters

Temperature meters

Flash cure units

Digital micrometers

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

Every day

How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

Continually or almost continually

More than half the time

About half the time

How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?

How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?

Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Extremely important

Very important

Fairly important

How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?

A lot of freedom

Some freedom

How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

How much does this job require making repetitive motions?

Less than half the time

How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?

Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable

Once a month or more but not every week

Once a year or more but not every month

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Constant contact with others

Contact with others most of the time

Contact with others about half the time

Occasional contact with others

How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?

Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities

Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers

Overview

Career

What Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers Do

Other Job Titles Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers

Overview

Career

What Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers Do

Other Job Titles Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers