Painters Must Keep Pace

Oct. 29, 2017

Advances in technology and more sophisticated OEM colors make it essential that refinish technicians take advantage of training offered on new products and application techniques.

The PPG Technician Certification Training program requiring painters be recertified every two years is PPG’s way of ensuring refinish technicians stay current with newer application techniques for the latest OEM finishes as well as new processes for improving paint shop productivity.

“It’s important for technicians and collision shop management to consider how our ever-changing industry impacts refinishing best practices,” says Randy Cremeans, PPG director of training. “Those products and SOPs that work best today can quickly become outdated as newer technologies become available. As OEMs introduce more sophisticated vehicle colors, it’s vital that technicians keep their certifications current.”

“Moreover, technician recertification every two years is a necessary qualification for participating in the PPG Lifetime Limited Paint Performance Guarantee program.”

Five Levels of Certification

One often-overlooked benefit of achieving certification status is the pride that technicians gain from being acknowledged and accredited by a third-party. So, to help recognize the professionalism of our painters, PPG offers five levels of certification: Blue, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Master.

After achieving initial Blue level certification, technicians are eligible to graduate to the next level by attending certain qualifying classes every two years. After eight years, qualified technicians are eligible to graduate to Master Certified Technician level.

PPG certified technicians can check their current certification status by accessing their training transcripts at ppgrefinish.com. Transcripts can be found in the Training section under Student Tools.