Automotive refinishing apprentices still busy and training after 2020 hailstorm

Apprentices in the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) Automotive Refinishing Department are well placed to continue their studies while remaining in the workplace, due to a quick move to remote assessment and the 2020 hailstorm.

Automotive Refinishing teacher Adrian Gibbons said the hailstorm earlier in the year meant most of our apprentices' employers in the refinishing and panel-beating industry have been really busy. Adrian explained, "With the shops still busy, our apprentices have a lot of work, so it made more sense to assess them on the work they are already doing."

"Their workplaces will collect evidence of the completed work done by our students and then send this to us, so it can be assessed. Rather than having the students come into CIT, they can submit videos and photos of their work and I can assess it remotely."

Adrian has completely overhauled CIT's workplace evidence forms to be simpler for both the student and the employer. Clear instruction around what evidence is required and strict guidelines on what can be assessed allows better quality evidence to be collected.

The changes to the workplace evidence document is also a streamlined process and now requires less of the employer's time. This is followed up with a phone interview with the apprentice to talk through the work that was done.

Adrian draws on over 20 years of experience in the automotive spray painting and refinishing industry. His current approach allows students to continue their training while also staying in the workplace supporting the operations of busy workplaces.