As OEMs introduce more complex and exotic finishes, PPG says its programs will help ensure refinish technicians are prepared to meet the challenges the new finishes present.
“Maintaining alignment with the industry, PPG refinish systems are constantly advancing, and we want to ensure that collision center technicians are experts in using our products,” says Randy Cremeans, PPG director of training for automotive refinish. “PPG’s commitment to training is unrivaled in the industry—we train more techs than any other automotive paint company in the world, and we intend to maintain that lead. Our certification training programs introduce technicians to the latest products and techniques for completing quality refinish repairs while maximizing paint booth productivity.”
More than 15,000 students and technicians participate in PPG training courses annually, and more than 400,000 refinish professionals have taken classes since PPG began its programs in 1980. Once certified, paint technicians must then be recertified every two years to stay current on the latest PPG products and repair processes. Having a certified painter is among the requirements for collision centers offering PPG’s Lifetime Limited Paint Performance Guarantee, the company says.
PPG says its certification training offers five levels of expertise: Blue, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Master. The first certification course is open to technicians who have one year of professional experience. After achieving the initial Blue-level certification, technicians are eligible to graduate to successive levels by attending qualifying classes every two years. After eight years, qualified technicians are eligible to graduate to the Master Certified Technician level.
Certification courses, blending classroom instruction with hands-on exercises, are offered at PPG Business Development Centers and various field locations across the United States and Canada. Courses are tailored for PPG’s premium DELTRON, GLOBAL REFINISH SYSTEM, ENVIROBASE High Performance, NEXA AUTOCOLOR 2K and AQUABASE Plus refinish systems.
PPG says training sessions last a minimum of eight hours over one or two days and educate 8–12 technicians at a time. Certification classes are led by 30+ full-time PPG training instructors.
To recognize completion of the certification courses, PPG says it is providing technicians with exclusive patches indicating the level of certification achieved as well as T-shirts featuring a unique graphic design by PPG custom trainer Jeremy Seanor.
“We appreciate our technicians and shops that are committed to training and dedicated to learning about new products and processes. PPG wants to recognize them and these are two ways we can express our thanks,” says Mike Gonzalez, zone manager, refinish training.
Adds Cremeans, “We understand training is a continuous process; it’s never complete, especially with the frequent changes we see in this industry. Technicians need to know how to work with the latest finishes like OEM tricoats and quadcoats. Training is a large part of our investment in our customers; it’s an investment we’re happy to make.”
