The Best Painting Training Courses to Build Your Career

Are you looking to jump-start your painting career and take your skills to the next level? 

Besides an apprenticeship, taking professional painting training courses is the best way to become a highly competent painting contractor. Plus, you’ll get certifications that you can add to your portfolio to improve your credentials and make more money. 

Some painting courses teach you the essential knowledge and skills to become the best at your craft, and others also help you build your own business and run a profitable money-making painting company. 

Whether you’re looking for a commercial painting training program or a house painting training course, look at our recommended online courses to start learning the trade.

1. PCA Painter Online Training Courses

Founded in 1884, the Painting Contractors Association (PCA) helps elevate the skill, reputation, and ethics of painting contractors in the painting industry.

The association has helped over 300,000 painting contractors in the United States and Canada and provides a video-on-demand training program on its website. 

Here are the three painting courses the PCA offers: 

Trade Best Practice Course 

The Trade Best Practice Series teaches you the fundamentals of the painting trade, basic skills, safety equipment, and career opportunities in the industry. This course guide features 15 episodes, some of which tackle the following topics: 

• The Painting Industry
• Cleaning
• Taping
• Masking
• Caulking
• Priming
• Brushing
• Cleanup and Closeout 
• Expertise

Interior Painter Training Course 

If you want to learn all about how to perform painting skills, the PCA Interior Painting Training Series is an excellent online program. This course provides an in-depth look at various painting processes based on tried-and-tested operating procedures. 

The course guide features eight episodes, which cover the following topics: 

• Paint Can Open and Closing
• Cordless Drill
• Hardware Removal
• Tape Information
• Application and Tape Removal
• Vacuum Care and Use
• Floor Protection
• Brush Cleaning

Exterior Painter Training Course 

The Exterior Painter Training Series shows you how to prepare exterior siding for paint and demonstrates the skill sets necessary to finish the job. The course has eight episodes: 

• Task Sequencing
• Exterior Washing
• Scraping and Sanding
• Wood Siding Repairs
• Sanding Tools
• Hand Masker Protection
• Caulk Application
• Stucco Repair 

These pro painting training courses are free, although you can also enroll in the $99 premium version to access better features, including an online training portal, a library of sequential video topics, quizzes, and a digital certificate of completion. 

2. TPC Structural Painting Course

TPC’s Structural Painting Course teaches techniques for selecting and applying paint and coatings to buildings. You’ll learn about the composition of paints, how to use paint tools, and how to perform paint prep work.

This is a beginner’s course with no prerequisites to enroll.

The courses topics include:

• Paint selection for normal conditions
• Paint selection for extreme conditions
• Painting tools
• Surface prep
• Paint application techniques
• Ground and aerial supports
• Dealing with hazardous materials

3. AMPP Painting Contractor Certification 

The Association for Materials Protection and Performance touts itself as the leading global organization focusing on asset protection and the performance of materials.

Active in 130+ countries worldwide with 40,000 members, this U.S.-based organization provides world-class training for painters, engineers, inspectors, and other professionals. 

AMPP offers professional certifications that are recognized and widely accepted globally. Industry subject matter experts and seasoned professionals contribute decades of in-depth knowledge to create comprehensive painting training courses. 

4. Benjamin Moore Contractor Education & House Painting Training

Known for manufacturing premium paints and stains for homes, Benjamin Moore is a reputable paint company that also provides training for painting contractors. Their educational resources include the following: 

• Color Foundations
• Color and Light
• High-Performance Floor Coatings
• High-Performance Industrial Coatings
• Low VOC Paints
• Practical Paint Solutions and Problem-Solving Techniques 

5. MPI Course 

Master Painters Institute (MPI) provides comprehensive training programs, refresher courses, and verified third-party accreditation when you finish the courses. 

The MPI Training Program features four courses: 

• Essentials of Paint and Painting Technology
• Architectural Painting
• Maintenance Repainting
• Inspection

The courses are free, and you have 90 days to finish the online training and examination. You have to pass a proctored exam to obtain a certification. 

6. Williamson College of The Trades

The Williamson College of The Trades (founded in 1888) offers the Glenn E. Stevick Program in Paint & Coatings Technology. As part of this program, students will learn:

• Basic knowledge and proper application of protective coating systems
• Protection of various surfaces
• Corrosion prevention
• Surface preparation
• Power tool cleaning
• Sandblasting
• Application of architectural coatings
• Sign painting
• Color mixing
• Wallcovering application

7. Penn Foster Workforce Development

The online painting courses offered by Penn Foster Workforce Development provide learners with in-depth instruction on the following topics:

• Chemical safety
• Tool handling
• Plastering
• Pre-technical skills
• In-depth trade concepts
• Primer application
• Aesthetic techniques, including Stippling, sponging, distressing, and color blocking

Penn Foster has been helping students succeed in the trades for over 125 years. They help their graduates find top-paying jobs at the best companies in the industry.

Spray Paint Training Courses

The following are the best-reviewed courses specifically for spray painting:

Spray Applications for Pros

• URL: https://www.paintprotraining.com/course/5681
• Created by: Sherwin Williams
• Price: Free

Sherwin-Williams is one of the best-known brands in the paint industry. They have created this course to teach best practices for applying paint using airless paint sprayers.

MPC Technical Training Class

• URL: https://www.matthewspaint.com/Products/Training.aspx
• Created by: MPC Matthews Paint
• Price: Free

MPC Matthews Paint offers a two-day technical training class. This class is held in one of their nine state-of-the-art training facilities across the United States. This is the best way to get a hands-on spray painting experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Gain an Extra Edge With a Professional Painting Training Course

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned painter, the online painting training courses above will help you gain valuable knowledge and skills to succeed in the painting trade.

Painting certifications also prove your expertise and boost clients’ trust in your services to get more from your marketing effors. You can get certified, write a painting business plan, and start landing your own client jobs.