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The Coatings Training Institute
The Coatings Training Institute is the ideal place for you to improve your technical knowledge or technical English and make a step change in your career. Hundreds of students from around the world have benefited from our training courses, which have been in place for over 30 years, which you can study at your own pace.
The training is brought to you by the British Coatings Federation, the sole UK trade association which has been representing manufacturers of paints, printing inks, and wallcoverings for over 100 years.
Achieving The Coatings Training Institute’s International Certificate in Coatings Technology will add valuable coatings specific knowledge to your skill set, and either make you more attractive to a coatings employer or enhance your prospects for career progression. Research has shown that students who study and look to progress their personal development are more likely to gain new career prospects and are more confident and motivated, and have higher levels of customer service and improved knowledge.
For those in employment, your employer will often help support and fund your training.
Individual modules are competitively priced and we have a special offer for anyone studying the International Certificate of 6 modules, which gives a 10% discount.
Successful completion of The Coatings Training Institute modules can contribute towards membership of professional organisations such as the Oil & Colour Chemists’ Association (OCCA) and the Society of Dyers & Colourists. Our modules are Royal Society of Chemistry approved.
Self-study, where and when you want it
Bite-sized learning at your own pace
Comprehensive support from qualified tutors
Online and written assessments
Taster versions available to download before you buy
About BCF
The British Coatings Federation is the Trade Association representing the interests of the decorative paints, industrial and powder coatings, printing inks, and wallcovering manufacturers in the UK. We have over 140 Full manufacturer members and another over 100 Associate/supplier companies in membership. In all, BCF’s members represent 95% of all the UK sales of paints, coatings, printing inks and wallcoverings, making us the authoritative voice of the sector.
About The Coatings Industry
Though you can’t always see them, coatings are everywhere: on our jackets, walls, cars and computers, to name just a few places. The coatings industry impacts a broad range of sectors, from manufacturing to construction, with an estimated 300,000 people using these products as part of their jobs and contributing over £200 billion to UK GDP.
FAQs
Can I take the course outside of the UK?
Our courses were developed in the UK but, thanks to distance learning facilities, you can study with us wherever you are based. Every student has an allocated CTI tutor with whom they can communicate by email at any time of day.
How do online exams work?
Every module concludes with a sit-down written exam, invigilated by your workplace mentor. You will have 10 minutes of reading time followed by 30 minutes of exam, before the tutor scans the document and emails it to your CTI tutor. They will then mark your exam and report the results through the CTI portal.
How long do modules take to complete?
You can read through each module in between 30 and 90 minutes. Completing the work and answering the set questions takes approximately 8-10 hours per module, although we recommend you conduct independent research.
You can use the course as a guide for research into industry developments, while information published by raw material suppliers will give you a good background for your progress in the industry.
Who are our modules suitable for?
Our modules are suitable for people at all levels of the coatings industry, from new graduates in entry-level roles to experienced professionals looking to specialise.
Technical and non-technical roles can benefit from our training courses. A sales assistant might use a course to build on their product knowledge, while a lab technician might study our modules in order to specialise in a particular field.