Company – Transform Training.
Position – Protective Coatings and associated Equipment Trainer.
What does your role entail and what does your company do?
One of my major roles is as a trainer for Transform Training, a Registered Training Organization that delivers Nationally Recognised Training in abrasive blasting & protective coatings.
Working together with the industry, we identified a desperate need for comprehensive, site-specific training within the abrasive blasting and protective coatings industry.
Having travelled many parts of the globe training applicators, I have witnessed the ubiquitous issue of unskilled labor and I can say with confidence that this is not just a problem that is synonymous with Australia.
We have developed two comprehensive skills set concerning abrasive blasting and protective coatings respectively, and these skill sets are made up of several units taken from the Certificate III in Surface Preparation and Coating Application (MSM30216). These skill sets are highly targeted and hone in on the core skills required of blasters and applicators
I utilise information extensively from the ACA, major coating manufacturers and equipment suppliers such as Blast-One International, to ensure the latest technologies are embraced.
Training covers basics for newcomers, enhancement of knowledge base for existing applicators, including site set up and management depending on employers need to fulfill their productivity and project requirements.
What has been your favorite corrosion project that you have worked on and why?
The most interesting projects for me are penstocks, as they display every aspect of corrosion, due to varying steel composition and the rate of corrosion. The ACA has at their disposal a massive case history, which displays many aspects of the projects I have been involved with over the years.
What are the important corrosion related issues facing industry/your business today?
Corrosion represents a massive cost to industry, and from my perspective, incorrect application of coatings by un-skilled applicators is genuinely one of the most significant issues in the corrosion industry currently. Appropriate application of coatings is essential to ensuring the asset owner will achieve the projected coating life.
Why are you a member of the ACA?
Having been in the industry for the past 40 years, I have been a member of the ACA for 22 years. The ACA has been fundamental in providing me with information and extensive training over this time and I will always be forever grateful to Mr Rob Francis for my ACA coatings inspectors certificate many years ago. It is training such as this, the ACA provide to ensure participants sustain extensive knowledge and opportunity.