It is an old adage, but an unsurpassed truth, that proper training is what it takes to make workers more professional. This aspect is now a major point of concern in the Indian signage industry where many are keen to see training institutes or schools, which are not yet established in the country. It has been quite venerable in the signage sectors of certain overseas countries like the UK that advanced training programmes are opened for working professionals as well as aspirants. The British Sign and Graphics Association (BSGA) takes a leading role in the development of educational and training programmes designed to equip and qualify workers based in the UK for their commitment in modern sign making.
SIGN & GRAPHICS finds out an insight of the association’s dedicated educational programmes.
Since the year 1918, The British Sign and Graphics Association (BSGA) and its forerunner organisations have been representing the interests of sign makers and other allied businesses in the signage industry across the UK. The association is known for offering a list of structured educational and training courses to the region’s working professionals and newcomers.
Most of the trainings offered by the BSGA are carried out ‘on the job’ where a national training organisation and other local colleges support the association’s educational schemes. Members enrolled into the educational programmes are from all types and sizes of signage business. Right from craftsmen sign writers through companies that manufacture signage products/accessories to those who specialise in production of vinyl signage, vehicle liveries as well as digitally produced signs, the BSGA welcomes everyone under its umbrella body of educational and training programmes.
Vocational qualifications
The BSGA training and education programmes award a range of vocational qualifications and apprenticeship schemes for sign makers. Training, assessment and qualifications are available in the occupations like sign makers, sign designers, sign specifiers, electrical technicians, manufacturing technicians, technical sales, quality technicians, estimators, process planners, site surveyors, project managers, contract managers, installation and maintenance supervisors. The qualifications can be gained over any specified period suitable to either employee or employer.
Schemes supported by the BSGA are designed to help bring suitable young aspirants into the industry and provide them with a complete training framework. In addition, financial assistance with training costs may also be available to businesses engaged in training and educational schemes. Commenting on the training facilities available in India for signage industry, M S Dadu, MD of Apsom Infotex Ltd, New Delhi, a distributor of Roland wide-format printers mentions, “In India, we are in dire need for signage training institutes where machine operators and fabricators can be trained or educated to improve their skills, ultimately improving the overall quality.”
Roland wide-formate printer.
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Other activities
Apart from the training and educational programmes, the BSGA represents a gamut of businesses involving with sign installers, sign designers, consultants and businesses that manufacture and distribute products, materials and equipment used in sign making. The association is run under three principal objectives. First, to support, represent and lobby on behalf of its members; secondly, to encourage and promote the highest quality standards in both workmanship and customer service; and last one is to promote the services and gain recognition for member companies who have agreed to abide by the BSGA Code of Practice, with sign buyers and sign specifiers.
BSGA is run by a council comprising volunteer members who serve on both the council and a number of specialist sub-committees. The association is the only trade association dedicated to guarding the interests and providing services to whole sign industry in the UK.
To know more about BSGA and its educational and training programmes, log on to
www.bsga.co.uk
