Frequently Asked Questions
A life-changing opportunity for students. A promising situation for parents. A smart solution for homeowners. Everyone wins with College Works Painting.
But we know you may have questions. So find your answers by clicking below.
Questions
FOR STUDENTS
How Will I Succeed If I Have Never Painted Before?
Since CWP started in 1993, fewer than 10% of our interns have had any previous painting experience. Your primary focus, as an intern, will be overseeing your painting projects. This includes ensuring your customers are happy and your painters are motivated. During your training seminars, you will be trained in every aspect of basic painting. You will also receive on-site training and continuous support from your experienced District Manager.
How Do I Find Enough Work?
Fact: 10% of all homes are painted each year. After training, you will create your individual marketing plan with your District Manager. You will be furnished with all marketing materials required to execute your plan. This will include high impact flyers, lawn signs, business cards and on-going direction from your District manager on how to reach your goals. By committing your Spring Break and several of your spring weekends, half of you summer should be booked before it even starts.
Why Painting?
Painting is an easily taught trade so you spend your time managing, not learning the industry. Also, it provides hands-on experience in all facets of running a business. In most internships, your function is mostly clerical. Here you market your service, negotiate deals, estimate projects, source, hire, and manage up to ten employees, and manage profits by controlling costs. Lastly, painting provides a significant moneymaking opportunity in a short amount of time.
How Do I Get My Equipment?
Once you have begun estimating and booking jobs, we will guarantee a line of credit for you with a major retail supplier. We will also furnish you with a list of suggested items to purchase based on the volume of business you have chosen to do. With this list and a line of credit, you will be able to purchase your paint and equipment. In some states, interns are provided with heavy equipment such as ladders, sprayers and safety equipment.
How Do I Get Paid?
At training you will learn how to price a paint job. You will be taught how to calculate wages, material, supplies and your profit. The average house will cost approximately $3,000 – $3,500 and you should expect to earn 20% of this selling price per house painted. Remember as in any business, your profit margin depends entirely on how well you manage your costs. (Note: CWP cannot guarantee how much you will make, as it is dependent upon how you price the job and the costs you incur in delivering it. However, the average profit last year was over 21%. Also, the program offers a minimum guarantee of $4,000 for those who fulfill minimum program requirements.†)
†In California, the minimum guarantee is $2,500.00 for those who fulfill minimum program requirements.
How Do I Know I Will Succeed?
You must begin by recognizing what it will take to be successful. While your friends are relaxing on spring weekend, you will be setting up your summer. When exams are over, the hours will be longer than any job you have had before. Most of your evening and weekends during the summer will be consumed with marketing, estimating, and follow-up phone calls. You will be tired and stressed at times, but you will have to get up early every morning to run your business. Most businesses fail for two reasons: lack of financing and lack of management expertise. When you commit to a summer with College Works, we provide the financial backing and a proven system with continuous training and constant support. The only missing ingredient is you and your personal determination to be a success. You don’t know you will succeed, you can only think you might.
Beware Of Competitors That Sound Like College Works Painting. How Can You Spot A Scam?
Like in any challenging pursuit, the College Works Painting program is tough and not everyone is successful at it. While the system works, it only works if you do. However, there is a good reason why the nationally-recognized media outlet Vault rated us the #1 Internship in America for Career Development in 2019 and #5 Internship for Real Life Experience in 2021. We strongly encourage all students to thoroughly research a company before accepting employment. To conduct further research on College Works Painting, just search through our College Works Painting alumni database and the numerous outside third parties who have evaluated the effectiveness of our program. To avoid a job scam of any kind, including come companies who claim to be like us, see our 13 Tips For Students To Avoid A Scam.