Polytech painting a fresh career path

A new Aoraki Polytechnic course collaboration is helping address the skill shortage in trades.

Aoraki Polytechnic is offering a new free painting and decorating course run in collaboration with Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT).

The fulltime course starts in November this year and part-time courses in Timaru and Ashburton will start in January.

Aoraki Polytech chief executive Alex Cabrera said the polytechnic was committed to recognising the need in the region.

"We are concentrating on the areas where students have the most likelihood of being able to walk into a job at the end of their studies, and that have the greatest impact on, and demand within, our local regions."

The course will cover brush painting skills, preparation skills for painting and decorating, reducing exposure to health and safety hazards in painting, decorating and coating, roller painting skills, use of colour in decoration and working with timber and plaster surfaces.

Related careers it will lead to include trainee painter apprenticeships, home decorating and retail hardware assistant.

The new part-time course offers students the choice of evening classes and is suitable for a range of people.

"With very low unemployment rates, the demand is for part-time or flexible delivery programmes of study," Cabrera said.

The course has had good interest and a strong initial intake with more than 60 inquiries and 17 people already enrolled.

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Polytech painting a fresh career path