Giving a boost to the skilling drive, Nippon Paint has announced the expansion of its training academy, Nippon Paint Training Academy, in Tamil Nadu to empower over 1,000 painters in the next six months. Further, the paint manufacturer will establish two new academies in Tamil Nadu. The training program will be supported by the company’s PRO-Reach initiative, which includes PROceed, special training hub; PROtool, high end tools for painters; and PROChamps, a digitised loyalty program for the trainees.

Speaking about the launch of this initiative, Nippon’s president-decorative paints S Mahesh Anand said, “At Nippon Paint we always believe in giving back to the industry and contributing to the development of painters. To empower the painters, the key stakeholder in the ecosystem, Nippon has initiated the training academy to modernise painters and to train them to use latest technologies.” Anand added that Nippon Paint would be giving sanding machines at subsidised rates to painters.

According to Anand painting has always been seen as a painful process by customers, while painters are viewed as a group of unskilled labours without proper training. “Nippon Paint’s effort is towards changing this perception and to make customers enjoy the painting experience.” The academy, through PRO Reach, offers a six-day curriculum which covers soft skills, and understanding of modern painting technology and high-end tools such as 100% dust-free sanding machines.

Continuous engagement with painters and their motivation is another aspect that the academy ensures through PROChamps, which is a digitised loyalty program. “This is an Android based mobile application which not only helps the painters to accrue points through their phones, but also empowers them by creating their own profile and credentials, which they can demonstrate to their customers,” explained Anand.