Study Portal
John Ilia
Chemist Daler-Rowney
“Being able to fit the studying and the exams into my own schedule is perfect.”
Modules Undertaken
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L2
201 General Overview of Coatings
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L2
203 Pigments and their Properties
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L2
04 Paint and Ink Manufacture - Rheology
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L2
205 Evaluation
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L3
302 Properties of Pigments
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L3
314 Manufacture – Paint
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L3
333 Coatings – Safety, Health and Environmental Aspects
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L3
313 The Testing of Pigments
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L4
408 Acrylics and Aminos *
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L4
421 Ink Technology and Formulation
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L4
417 Manufacture – Dispersion
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L4
403 Solvents and Additives
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L5
501 Pigments Colour and Dispersion
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L5
502 Evaluation and Specifications
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L5
503 Formulation – Determining Factors
We all know the (somewhat clichéd) marketeers’ rallying call that ‘failing to plan is planning to fail’ and, as is the case with most clichés, there is a good degree of truth in the phrase. There is also a good case for getting one’s self several steps ahead before one even needs to think about the next goal. It’s called paying the tab before it comes in – and Daler Rowney’s chemist, Xhovan Ilia, is a perfect illustration of how this works.
Xhovan has completed about 13 modules on The Coatings Training Institute’s training programme, covering subjects across all four levels from Foundation to Advanced and is now looking to complete four more modules in order to graduate at the highest level possible to date.
Working for a company famed for its artist supplies, however, one might think that the amount of modules relevant to Xhovan’s work would be limited. Possibly so, but this is not the attitude that he takes.
“This kind of training is essential for this profession,” he says. “All of the courses are useful for those in the coatings industry. Okay, I work in artist paint, but I have picked up so much useful information – more than is necessary for my present job, but there’s no harm in having knowledge beyond what you need at the moment.”
Xhovan started out looking around for more information on techniques and technology and soon came across The Coatings Training Institute’s training programmes.
“They have a really good package of courses and I could see that this would be really beneficial. I’m glad to say that Daler Rowney agreed and approved my studies.”
Xhovan works in the fields of formulation and raw materials, so was very quickly able to accumulate information on how others were doing this elsewhere in the coatings trade.
“I found out a lot about various production and cost saving methods – and that is, after all, what we are all doing, isn’t it? Creating the best product possible for the lowest possible cost.”
What he didn’t know when he began his studies, of course, was that in 2015 the European Union would be bringing in strict material, production and labelling regulations – he couldn’t have done. But the fact that he began his studies over a decade ago now looks somewhat prescient.
“With the training and studying I have done with The Coatings Training Institute, I can see what needs to be done to update our previous systems and labelling. I have also learnt a lot of techniques for evaluating new products. We do a lot of comparison reports, you know, studying our competitors, and this has helped us in measuring the different shades of colours and saved us money at the same time. This has all come from The Coatings Training Institute modules.”
What next then? He was awarded Student of the Year in 2011 and when he finishes Level 5, it seems as though an important element of his professional life will end with it!
“Well, yes, that will be it for The Coatings Training Institute courses, but I’m going to keep my eye on what they are doing, to see if they are offering anything new in the future with new techniques or equipment. But yes, I really enjoy my studies – absolutely! I look forward to studying and discussing the subjects with my tutor and my colleagues. That’s the great thing about study: you discover new things – and new things are exciting.
“Last year I took on four projects and all of them have been successful. This was greatly helped by the information I got from The Coatings Training Institute modules. These days I look at everything The Coatings Training Institute does, seminars, whatever, because I know it will be useful at some point.”