FOCUS ON TOMORROW’S SPRAY PAINTERS

FOCUS ON TOMORROW’S SPRAY PAINTERS

 BASF Coatings Services recently hosted the first spray-painting training workshop for NF Apprentices at the Refinish Competence Center (RCC) in Midrand. The apprentices, who are currently placed in various body shops in Gauteng, spent a week at the training facility with BASF’s technical trainers.

 “The reason we partnered with BASF for the training is so that the apprentices get a solid orientation into the industry,” explains Busi Maile, Programme Director for NF Apprentices. “This also ensures that the apprentices have a sound foundation so that when they go to the panel shop, they immediately begin using best practices.”

 The weeklong training included theoretical aspects of the trade with a majority of the training focused on practical exercises. “We want to make sure that by the time an apprentice qualifies, they have learnt all there is to know about the trade over and above the current curriculum requirements which do not cover the advancements in technology and new innovations that have changed the face of the industry in the past decade,” notes Maile.

 Nico Krukenberg, Commercial Manager for BASF Coatings Services adds, “We are aware of the urgent need to get more spray painters into the market and partnering with NF complements our current training initiatives we are involved with across the country.”

Parent Engagement

Following the week of training, NF Apprentices held a parents breakfast meeting at the RCC. “The purpose of engaging the apprentices’ parents and guardians is to ensure that their families get involved in the young adults’ journey to become qualified artisans,” explains Maile. “As NF, we offer support such as monthly site visits, yearly programme outlines and counsel for shops and the apprentices, however, we have discovered that apprentices tend to cope better on the programme if they also receive extra support from home.”

The parents were given a brief account of what the programme entailed, whilst sited in the RCC’s workshop, which resembles the layout of a paint shop. A few apprentices were then selected to spray paint a car shape mould in front of the audience. This allowed the parents to get a first-hand experience of what the apprentices do in a day’s work.

“As NF, we are saying to the industry, we are trying to produce quality artisans for tomorrow. To the young people coming through our initiative, we are saying we will not just put you in a shop for the sake of being an apprentice, but we will make sure that you will attain a quality qualification which can take you anywhere in the world,” concludes Maile.

Quotes from apprentices

Warren Rameetse, Dent Doctor Randburg - “It’s a really great privilege to be here at BASF because they are showing us how to use good materials when working on a car.”

Trevor Roets, VDS Rooderport – “It means a lot to us. We’ve been learning different skills which we can use anywhere else in the future.”

Moses Seoketsa, North City PD – “The training has been good as they have been showing us new technologies. I look forward to coming again for more training.”

NF apprentice is an industry initiative for the industry by the industry.

The future of the auto body repair industry depends on auto body shops being at the forefront of developing the skilled and competent workforce it requires.

 NF Apprentices together with its network of auto body repair shops is ensuring that deserving youth are finding their way into the industry to qualify as Spray Painters, Auto Body Repairers and Motor Mechanics.

 If you are experiencing any one or more of the following challenges NF Apprentices is there to assist.

Unable to recruit committed apprentices

Struggling with retaining apprentices

Struggling with merSETA paper work

Difficulty with ensuring that apprentices are up to date with their training

Difficulty with keeping apprentices motivated in their work and training

 

You can reach NF Apprentices on info@nf.org.za or visit their website on www.nf.org.za

Through a collaborative effort with partners such as BASF, NF Apprentices seeks to groom and develop quality artisans that will help alleviate the shortage of the craftsmanship in the industry.

-ENDS-