I can't really put a timeframe on learning to paint because I learned it with the body side of it but for that scenario 10 years is minimum.Body relies more on common sense than tools and materials,but it's a vast area considering there's resto,structural replacement and just straightening steel.Paint is much more technical on materials and a screwup with it or the tool is more costly to fix.Schools are great to teach you basics but be prepared to throw 1/3 of that away and start learning in the shop.Every tech grad I've seen knows just enough to be dangerous,but I've seen lifelong bodymen that had no idea they were complete hacks and had no idea what they were doing.The stories I could tell just from one of them.
OK,twist my arm.Body side molding on a door keeps peeling up in the rear and the car has to go.Boss tells him to screw it down(at another shop but we inherited both these yahoos when we bought out the dealership).He puts a screw through the molding into the doorskin and goes to pull the car out-door won't open.They both screw with the door for a few minutes and finally decide to pull out the screw,well,it' a screw long enough to go through the door and into the 1/4 jamb,alot.The sad part is this guy has been doing this stuff for 20+ years.It gets much more comical and dangerous with him for the time he worked with us.We even tried to help him but he wouldn't listen.
