Coachbuilder
Snapshot
Coachbuilders execute work on vehicle bodies and coaches. They have skills to form body parts from panels, manufacture and assemble the frames and parts for vehicles.
Coachbuilders are skilled craftspeople specializing in the construction and repair of vehicle bodies and coaches. Your day might involve shaping metal panels, assembling vehicle frames, and ensuring the structural integrity and aesthetic appeal of the finished product. This role requires a blend of precision, problem-solving, and a keen eye for detail, often working with both traditional hand tools and modern fabrication equipment. You’ll be integral in maintaining classic vehicles or building custom designs.
- • Forming and shaping body panels from various materials (metal, composites, etc.)
- • Manufacturing and assembling vehicle frames and components
- • Repairing and restoring damaged vehicle bodies, including collision repair
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Figures cover Metal, machinery and related trades workers — 106 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia and 12 more.
Longest-running shortage: Austria, 4 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person’s chances. It describes a market.
Reported demand · Typical pay · Where it is heading (United States, Ireland, Australia, Malta, United Kingdom)
| Reported demand | Typical pay | Where it is heading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Not reported | $54,890 2025-05 | +1.6% 2024–2034 · BLS 2024-2034 |
| Ireland | Not reported | — | +15.1% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| Australia | Shortage reported Jobs and Skills Australia 2025 * | — | — |
| Malta | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2024 * | — | — |
| United Kingdom | Not reported | £36,560 2025-provisional | — |
* Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS)
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Open Government Licence v3.0
Do you guide students, clients or employees? Use this occupation data in your organisation.
Future Outlook for coachbuilder
The outlook for coachbuilder reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could coachbuilder change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Model-based estimate. Use it as a planning signal, not a guarantee.
Compare this to your profile
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- ensure safety of mobile electrical systems
- perform metal work
- purchase car materials
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- use technical documentation
- prepare vehicle trim
- install vehicle accessories
Tasks most exposed to automation
- maintain vehicle records
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Supply Chain & Transportation
A typical day as a coachbuilder
09 09:00 · Morning prepare vehicle trim
10 10:30 · Mid-morning build bodies for vehicles
12 12:00 · Midday carry out chassis modifications
14 14:00 · Afternoon design chassis
15 15:30 · Late afternoon install vehicle accessories
17 17:00 · Wrap-up purchase car materials
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
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carry out chassis modifications
Perform chassis conversions and fitments on elements of stocks of chassis by modifying its length and weight distribution. Meet specific requirements and quality standards by consulting and communicating with engineers and technical personnel.
-
fit mechanised equipment
Fit mechanical equipment such as hoists and winches to various types of car chassis.
-
carry out repairs and maintenance of vehicle bodies
Execute repair and maintenance tasks to damaged vehicle bodies; follow customers' individual requests and instructions.
-
prepare vehicle trim
Prepare vehicle trim work in accordance with technical drawings and preliminary sketches.
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assemble final product
Install and mechanically adjust all components and subsystems, according to factory regulations and legal standards.
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install vehicle accessories
Build in the vehicle accessories, such as door handles, hinges, locks and audio systems. Customise following clients' requests.
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install transport vehicle interior components
Build in accessories for a vehicles, such as door handles, hinges and locks, both inside and outside. Customise the accessories following customers' wishes.
-
install automotive electrical equipment
Place electrical circuits and wiring in vehicles such as lighting and voltage gauges. These distribute and regulate electrical power and supply it to meters and other devices in the car.
-
install car electronics
Place electrically operated accessories in vehicles such as batteries which power heating systems, radios and anti-theft systems.
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maintain vehicle records
Maintain vehicle records by accurately recording service operations and repairs.
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measure parts of manufactured products
Operate measurement instruments to measure parts of manufactured objects. Take into consideration specifications of manufacturers to perform the measuring.
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ensure safety of mobile electrical systems
Take the necessary precautions while providing temporary power distribution independently. Measure and power up an installation.
-
maintain work area cleanliness
Keep the working area and equipment clean and orderly.
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purchase car materials
Acquire and order car parts and accessories to rebuild and fabricate vehicle bodies and coaches.
-
build bodies for vehicles
Manufacture bodies for passenger-carrying vehicles, such as car, bus, horse-drawn carriage or railroad passenger car. Use wood, metal, fibreglass and other materials.
vehicle electrical systems
The vehicle electrical systems, including components such as the battery, starter, and alternator. The battery provides energy to the starter. The alternator provides the battery the energy it requires to power the vehicle.
- electrical wiring plans
- mechanics
Path to become a coachbuilder
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Upper secondary education
107 programmes in 17 countries teach the core skills of this job. Plus 102 short courses that build single skills.
A few examples, taught in the language of this page:
South Africa
Valkeakosken ammattiopisto · Finland
Certificate in Advanced Vehicle Diagnostics and Electrical Systems
Technological University of the Shannon · Ireland
These are 6 of 209.
Sources
- 1. Source: Europass Qualification Dataset Register (European Commission)
- 2. Source: South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), All Qualifications and Unit Standards (allqs.saqa.org.za).
- 3. Source: Opintopolku.fi (Finnish National Agency for Education)
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does coachbuilder fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
For organisations
The data on this page, working for your students, clients and staff.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of vehicles do coachbuilders typically work on?
Do I need a formal education to become a coachbuilder?
What are the typical work conditions for a coachbuilder?
How much does Coachbuilder pay in the United States?
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated October 3, 2026 About our data