In February this year PPG Business Manager, NSW/ACT Ken Wiggens launched the PPG Industries NSW TAFE Scholarship program with eight scholarships being awarded to second year TAFE students across NSW. The second of the training sessions was held on 26th and 27th September at the PPG Automotive Refinish Training Centre at Eastern Creek in Sydney. NSW Training Manager Trevor Duke delivered the packed program which covered the waterborne technology painting process, waterborne blending techniques (3 layer), colour matching clear-over-base (COB) and understanding colour tools – and all on the first day!
On day two the students were introduced to painting and blending new technology automotive OEM colours with a focus on 46V Soul Red Crystal and 46G Machine Grey, 2 of the more impressive and challenging colours in the Mazda range. It is well understood across the industry that with the investment in OEM colour technology comes the perennial challenge to find the perfect match with refinish systems. For TAFE students to be exposed to this challenge during their apprenticeships greatly enhances their capabilities at the formative stage of their careers.
The PPG scholarship program will continue in 2018 and a full report on this stage of the training will be featured in the November issue of the National Collision Repairer magazine.
Editor: The National Collision Repairer congratulates PPG Industries on this initiative which provides a great incentive to the youth in our industry who are, as we know all too well, the future of the industry.