A successful South Ayrshire Decorating Centre has developed its own unique spray-painting qualification with the assistance of SQA.
Craig Hainey, Managing Director of Pro Paints in Ayr said he took the decision to work with SQA to develop a new Customised Award in airless spray painting for his staff, and for local trades after he realised there was no formal accreditation for spray painting.
Craig said: “As a Decorators to trade, we’ve been spray-painting for years, and providing training courses in our training centre for other painters and decorators, trades and anyone looking to get into spray painting.
“But when I realised there was no formal qualification or recognition for spray paint operators currently available, I approached SQA to see if it would be possible to formalise our own training course so our staff and other local painters and decorators could develop their skills and have their experience recognised.”
Maureen Wallace, Regional Manager at SQA said: “When Craig reached out to SQA, we had an initial conversation about his requirements, about what he was doing now, and what he wanted the qualification to achieve. We recognised then that an SQA Customised Award would be the best option for Pro Paints, giving the business the opportunity to tailor a qualification precisely to its needs.”
With the support of Maureen, Craig started to write the three units that would make up the certificate in airless spray painting; area preparation and learning how to safely operate the spray machine; protecting and masking the spray area; and finally learning how to use the machine.
Kevin Graham, a painter and decorator from KG Painting & Decorating, said: “I got in touch with Craig at Pro Paints because I wanted to expand my skills and explore different ways of working. The spray painting course has been incredibly beneficial to me. It has not only improved my technical skills, like control and layering, but also broadened my creative perspective.
“I’ve gained confidence in experimenting with new techniques, and the award has inspired me to think more boldly in my work. The guidance Craig provided has also helped me refine my personal style, making me more versatile as a decorator.”
Craig said: “Having the chance to develop my own qualification, that I can then deliver to my staff and other local businesses has been a really rewarding experience. Seeing your people build on the skills they have and get recognised for the work that they do has been a really positive experience.”
For more information on SQA Customised Awards, and how they can support your business phone 0303 333 0330, or email [email protected].
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