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MPI Unveils Online Training Program

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

More items for Quality Control

The Master Painters Institute has introduced online training and certification for a range of professionals who work with paints and coatings in commercial/architectural applications.

Modeled after SSPC and NACE programs for the industrial sector, MPI’s online courses are designed to provide efficient, cost-effective training and certification for new and experienced specifiers, general contractors, painting contractors, facility maintenance managers, coating suppliers and others in the industry.

MPI

Some training programs are entirely online; others include a one-day, hands-on component and proctored exam.

MPI publishes architectural paint standards; Approved Products Lists of paints that pass MPI testing; Painting Specification Manuals; and online training courses. MPI paint standards and Approved Products are required by the U.S. and Canadian government and military.

‘Raise the Level of Expertise’

“We’ve seen the advances made in the heavy-duty, anti-corrosion coatings market with the adoption of SSPC’s Protective Coating Specialist certification program,” says MPI president Barry Law.

“And the practice of assuring quality by requiring coating inspectors certified by SSPC, NACE, and others is also common in that market. Our goal with MPI training and certification is to parallel those programs and raise the level of expertise and professionalism in the commercial/architectural painting sector.”

MPI says its new courses “put the collected knowledge of the industry’s greatest experts at the student’s fingertips.”

MPI certification “provides powerful third-party credibility and recognition that the student has attained mastery in this field,” the institute says.

MPI certification also meets the quality control/inspector training requirement for contractors applying for SSPC QP-9 Painting Contractor Certification, which covers contractors who paint commercial and institutional structures.

Course Offerings

MPI’s online lineup currently comprises:

• Level 1: Architectural Coatings Essentials. Students who successfully complete this course will earn certification as an Architectural Coating Technologist (ACT).

• Level 2: Coatings Specialist Training. Two tracks are available: Architectural (New) Painting and Maintenance Repainting. Both courses describe the best practices for painting the 24 most common substrates in the built environment. After completing the online course, students must attend a one-day, hands-on session and proctored final exam to attain certification.

• Level 3: Inspection and Inspector Certification. This course, still in development, will include writing detailed paint specs for new construction or maintenance projects; using inspection gages and protocols; documenting job quality and adherence to the specification; and identifying potential problems. Peer review allows the student to achieve MPI Certified Coating Inspector certification or, at the top level, designation as Master, Paint Quality Assurance. After completing the online course, students must attend a one-day, hands-on session and proctored final exam to attain certification.

For more information, contact Jody Lavery, MPI Director of Training, at 888-674-8937, email jody@mpi.net, or visit http://www.mpi.net/training/overview.