Vehicle Trimmer

A Vehicle Trimmer installs and repairs interior upholstery, carpets, and trim components in motor vehicles including cars, trucks, buses, and caravans. They measure, cut, and fit materials such as fabric, leather, vinyl, foam, and carpet to interior surfaces, working in panel shops, dealerships, or specialist upholstery workshops. The role requires precision craftsmanship to ensure components fit correctly, match aesthetics, and meet vehicle design specifications.

Measure interior vehicle dimensions and surfaces to determine material requirements for seats, door panels, headlinings, and carpets. Cut and shape upholstery fabrics, leather, vinyl, and foam using hand tools, pattern templates, and power cutting equipment. Install and glue foam padding, insulation, and backing materials to vehicle panels and seats using contact adhesives and pneumatic tools. Fit and staple or screw fabric and vinyl coverings to seat frames, door panels, and interior trim using industrial staple guns and fasteners. Sew upholstery components including seat covers, door cards, and custom panels using industrial sewing machines. Lay and secure carpet and floor mats to vehicle floor panels using adhesives, tack strips, or mechanical fasteners. Install headlining (roof fabric) by measuring, cutting, and adhering material to the vehicle roof interior. Repair or replace damaged upholstery, torn fabric, and worn seating surfaces on existing vehicles.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training (ABS skill level 3). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

You'll be doing repetitive physical work in awkward positions inside vehicles for years before mastering the craft. The pay ceiling is modest even with experience, and as more vehicles come pre-trimmed from factories, demand for trimmers is shrinking. You need steady hands and patience for detail work that many people find monotonous.

Jobs concentrate in major metro areas around capital cities where panel shops, dealerships, and specialist workshops cluster. Regional areas have fewer options, and the work is site-based so remote work isn't possible. Most roles are in independent panel shops or franchise dealerships rather than large manufacturers.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 3242, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracycore
• Continuous Learning and Upskillingcore
• Create patterns for textile productscore
• Customer Needs Assessmentcore
• Cut fabricscore
• Fasten componentscore
• Perform upholstery repaircore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Provide customised upholsterycore
• Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
• Sew textile-based articlescore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Upholster transport equipment's interior piecescore
• Use manual sewing techniquescore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Align components
• Apply health and safety standards
• Apply preliminary treatment to workpieces
• Complaint Handling
• Identify customer's needs
• Inspect quality of products
• Install floor coverings
• Inventory Tracking
• Invoicing and Billing Administration
• Process Improvement Identification
• Regulatory and Legislative Awareness
• Risk Identification
• Sew pieces of fabric
• Supplier Communication
• Upholstery tools
• Written Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026