Coatings employers invited to learn about apprenticeships

A free webinar is being held in June to highlight how England-based employers in the industrial coatings industry can develop the next generation of skilled and qualified employees through apprenticeship training.

Hosted by Skills Training UK and industrial coatings training specialists The Corrodere Academy, the 45-minute webinar will give employers a clear understanding of the benefits of up-skilling and recruiting new talent through the Level 2 Industrial Coatings Applicator Apprenticeship.

The 14-18 month programme is relevant to coatings applicators involved with preparing the surface of new or existing steel structures and applying the correct protection coatings and has already been completed by employees in sectors including rail, automotive, nuclear, aerospace and marine.

“Over the past ten years, it has become apparent that the industry has an ageing workforce and new personnel are needed to fill all the roles,” says Brendan Fitzsimons, MD Fitz-Coatings Limited.

“The Industrial Coatings Applicator Apprenticeship is an ideal opportunity to get new blood into the industry while securing more professional qualifications, and the webinar is an opportunity for employers to find out how the training is delivered and the benefits to their teams.”

Sam Cunningham from Skills Training UK will look at how apprenticeships can be an affordable solution for employers looking to develop their teams, with options for 95-100% government co-funding for SMEs, while large employers can pay for the training programme through their apprenticeship levy.

“The apprenticeship has been designed by industry employers specifically for the sector,” says Cunningham, “and through using available funding, employers have an opportunity to support the next generation of coatings professionals. We look forward to speaking to employers about these benefits, and also welcome employees to attend and learn more about the training involved.”

The free webinar takes place on 16 June at 2pm, attendees should register in advance.