Raytheon Professional Services, a long-established company offering training solutions to government agencies and commercial organisations worldwide, has joined forces with Axalta Coating Systems in the UK on its Paint and Refinish Apprenticeship Programme for body shops.

Anthony Cashel, marketing manager for Axalta Coating Systems in the UK and Ireland, said, “We approached Raytheon because it has a huge amount of experience in training and also working with the automotive industry. This combination made it the ideal partner to help make the apprenticeship program for the U.K. body shops stand out from the rest.”

The Axalta Paint and Refinish Apprenticeship Programme has been designed to help apprentices working in UK body shops develop valuable new skills, techniques and technology expertise that will help them to work quickly and productively.


The three-year program gives apprentices the opportunity to achieve Level 2 and 3 full framework qualifications. In the third year they are also assessed for ATA at Senior Paint Technician Level.

“We believe the training we are providing to body shop apprentices will meet and exceed industry requirements for today’s technicians,” said Cashel. “They should then be able to fill skills gaps in the workforce, and introduce in the body shops in which they work new techniques and technology that are designed to increase productivity and to help provide a competitive edge.”

Apprentices are currently being invited to apply for the 2015 training program. Any UK body shop interested in taking on an apprentice, or anyone wishing to join the training scheme, can register their interest at www.axalta.co.uk/apprenticeship-programme. Alternatively they can contact Charlotte Coombes, Administration Assistant for Axalta Coating Systems in the U.K., at +44 1707 518009. A free information pack about the program is available on request.