KEY POINTS:
* National Certificate in Signmaking Level 3 and 4
* The New Zealand Sign School/Signmaking Industry Training Organisation (SITO)
* 0800 200 486 or 04 387 9759
* Course costs: averages approximately $1300 over three years.
* Hourly rates: $13 - $14 in third year of apprenticeship. Hourly rate increases every six months (1,000 hours) and is based on a percentage of qualified tradesperson wages. Newly qualified: $20 - $25 per hour, depending on ability and business.
Promotional vehicles, bill boards, shop windows, restaurant menus, banners - wherever you turn, the handiwork of signmakers is apparent. Signmakers, who are highly sought after, do everything from designing signs, applying vinyl graphics, hand lettering and constructing and erecting signage.
Apprentices train for three to five years, depending on the specialisations they undertake. After completing compulsory core unit standards, they choose from specialist strands; hand lettering, computer graphics and electric signmaking. The compulsory units include sign construction, use of hand power tools, and preparing surfaces and coatings. Hand lettering includes scaled artwork, leaf gilding, calligraphy, and other special effects. Computer graphics includes production of computer-generated vinyl layouts, graphics, scanning and digitising. Electric signmaking involves work with illuminated and neon signs. Apprentices usually do one or two strands.
The certificate is gained after successfully completing a three week block course every year for three years and passing unit standards assessed in the work place by supervisors. However they also have to complete an agreed number of apprenticeship hours before they are qualified tradespeople.
There is no distance learning or night classes. Nor are there any formal entry requirements, although apprentices need a good working knowledge of English - for obvious reasons - and a creative outlook.
Approximately 30 to 40 apprentices do the block courses each year and currently the school is considering setting up pre apprenticeship courses.
The Apprentice
Kiel McKeown
20
Blomfield Signs third year apprentice signmaker
I started doing the Gateway work experience programme at school and a teacher thought I might like to try working with signwriters because I used to do heaps of drawings and graffiti in my books. I hadn't thought about signmaking before that. I got work experience with three different signwriters and decided I really liked it. Then I applied for this job. I've been here three years.
I knew I didn't want to be in an office or in a suit. I like the variety here. When I come to work each day, I never know what I'm going to be doing. One day I'm putting a vinyl sign on a shop window or wrapping a vehicle. Another day I'm on a cherry picker putting a sign on the side of a building. Recently I was on a barge working on a boat's hull. I'm always learning.
Once a year I attend a three week block course in Wellington where I get assessed through projects. Last time we had to design all the signage for a business; everything from clothing logos and letter heads, to vehicles, and frontage. A lot of that was computer based and quite hard for me because I don't use the computer much here. So I learned a lot from that course.
At work I keep a logbook of things I'm learning and skills get signed off once I've shown I know how to do them.
I'm glad I'm doing an apprenticeship, I'm earning and learning and I will have a qualification soon. It is the best way to go.
The Employer
Blomfield Signs Managing director Jonathan Maitland
I offered Kiel an apprenticeship because he came in independently looking for work and was genuinely keen. He and two other apprentices work on the floor with two of our tradesmen. Kiel's working out well.
I believe it is important to keep having apprentices, because if we don't keep apprentices coming through the doors we won't have good qualified tradespeople.
This industry has completely changed in the last 15 to 20 years. Everything used to be hand written and painted; now it is mainly done with vinyl cuts, digitally designed.
In this field, you learn a lot on the job. Every day, our apprentices are coming up against new things. It is different from some trades where you need a lot of theoretical knowledge behind you. With signmaking it is very hands on. You learn how to do it and then by continually doing it, you become faster and more accurate. Speed is important, and some workers are much slower than others.
Signmaker apprentices need to have an eye for detail. They have to be able to look at something and see if it is straight. They have to be practical and need flair with colour and shapes. Anyone can learn the mechanics of the job, but you need that natural flair to be really good. However you don't really need to know how to draw anymore because most things are now done digitally.
You also have to be willing to learn and keen to advance.
