Coating Operations

This Apprenticeship deals with the manufacture and production of coatings. Though you can’t always see them, coatings are everywhere: on our jackets, walls, cars and computers, to name just a few places. They play a part in a broad range of industries, from automotive to construction.

Coatings perform a variety of purposes such as printing, waterproofing, and rust-prevention. Since better coatings make better products, scientific research and testing is a big part of this field.

Generally, coatings are broken down into five categories:

• Decorative
• Industrial
• Powder coating
• Printing inks
• Wall coverings

As an apprentice, your duties will depend on your employer. You could work as a production operative, responsible for operating manufacturing equipment; a quality control operative, assisting in product manufacture and customer queries; or a junior laboratory technician, helping with research and product development.

On an Advanced Apprenticeship, you’ll have more responsibilities, including some supervisory roles and more contact with customers.

With an Apprenticeship under your belt, you could progress through many different routes within the industry, from the business and administrative side, to laboratory and production work.