Signwriter
Career outlook for signwriter
UK Salary Ranges
Entry-level
£18,000
£18,000
Experienced
£25,000
£25,000
Currently employed in Scotland
4,800
Salary information is provided by the "National Careers Service". "Oxford Economics" supplies job forecasts and employment figures. Due to COVID-19 the jobs market is constantly changing. Some of the information may not reflect the current situation.
What's it like?
You would hand-paint signs for historic buildings, fairgrounds, pubs, classic vehicles, boats and more. This is a traditional craft that involves learning specialised techniques that have been used for generations.
You would:
- Lay out designs and lettering
- Measure letter size
- Prepare surfaces
- Paint backgrounds by brush, spray or roller
- Trace designs onto wood, metal or glass
- Hand-paint designs using special brushes, enamel paint and gold leaf
- Repaint and retouch signs on site
You would work with different materials such as wood, metal, glass, and specialised paints and varnishes.
Working conditions
Hours
Environment
UK employment status
Full-time
57%
Part-time
8%
Self employed
36%
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Find a jobTop skills
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- Taking initiative
- Implementing ideas
- Attention to detail
- Listening
- Observation
- Designing
- Creative
- Problem solving
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Entry requirements for courses can change. Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.
Qualifications
There are no formal qualifications required to enter this role but most employers value a good general education including English and maths.
Some employers may ask for qualifications at SCQF levels 4 to 6.
Design qualifications such as a National Certificate, a National Qualification course (SCQF level 5/6) or Higher National Certificate, or Higher National Diploma courses (SCQF level 7/8) in Visual Communication would be helpful.
You can enter some design National Certificate or National Qualification courses (SCQF level 5) with no formal qualifications but most
Useful subjects
- English
- Maths
- Art and design
- Practical technologies
You will also need
You will need a portfolio of your work when applying to courses and to jobs.
If you are installing signs on site you will need:
- a driving licence
- a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card
Helpful to have
Once in a job you can gain relevant qualifications such as a Scottish Vocational Qualifications in Signmaking (SVQ level 2/3).