21 April
Prisoners at Northland Region Corrections Facility (NRCF) now have the opportunity to develop core skill sets and gain credits towards a vocational qualification in painting.
The newly completed painting workshop at NRCF is one of three new workshops at the prison designed to offer a larger selection of training types to the expanding prisoner numbers under the double bunking initiative.
“The first painting course began this week and will offer 24 prisoners a year solid grounding in core painting skills over two 16-week courses leading to a Level 2 Certificate in Painting.
“Prisoners taking part will be able to earn theory and practical unit standards in health, safety, first aid, surface preparation, using brushes and rollers, erecting scaffolding, and other key painting and construction skills,” says CIE Area Operations Manager Don Robertson.
Don says the course addresses a local and national skills shortage, and therefore offers real opportunities for prisoners to enter the industry or further training on release.
“It has been developed by CIE in conjunction with Northtec and Weltec to provide nationally recognised qualifications that are tailored to the interests, skill sets, potential, and abilities of the prison population, giving them the opportunity to gain qualifications, life and work skills.”
The specially designed workshop is modelled on the Weltec painting workshop and features six painting booths that have all the features of a full size room, including a window and other architectural features for practicing painting techniques which are supported by project work. This will also be replicated at Spring Hill Corrections Facility, CIE’s National Prisoner Training Manager Saen O’Brien, says.
The workshop complements the existing training workshops at NRCF which provide Building, Construction and Allied Trades, Horticulture, and Forestry training to prisoners.
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