Over two days, thousands of female and gender diverse students came to learn what a career in Painting and Decorating could look like.
Students were given the opportunity to try their hand at woodgraining and sponging techniques. The students were fascinated that the woodgraining tool could produce patterns that look like real timber knots and grains.
The MPA stand was extremely popular with the students, and most returned back to the stand to take home their masterpieces.
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Improving the gender and diversity representation in trades is an important goal for creating more inclusive and equitable workplaces. Our Industry is fortunate to already have strong female participation but the Master Painters Association sees the advantage in expanding and creating more awareness to grow these numbers even more.
Excellence recognised
The Master Painters Association will also be supporting and promoting the Northern College of the Arts and Technology “Bring it On” project which is the empowerment of young school age women to engage in a career in Trades and Technology.
This project intends to give young women the opportunity to learn about study and career opportunities that have historically been male dominated. NCAT are dedicated to making sure that all young women graduating transition into apprenticeships or traineeships.
On Saturday May 4, the Master Painters Association of Victoria/Tasmania held its annual Awards for Excellence where members had an opportunity to showcase their projects from the smallest decorative wall to multi-storey projects.
Achieving industry recognition in a category is significant with awards being presented to companies who had achieved High Distinctions for their projects.
The Winners in each category were also presented on the night with some companies winning in multiple categories. The MPA congratulates all members who were recognised on the night for their outstanding projects.
The highlight of the night was the Apprentice of the Year Awards. This year we had so many wonderful nominations that were all deserving of recognition and praise.
Awards were presented to runners up and winners from 1st Year Apprentice of the Year through to 4th Year Apprentice of the Year. Female apprentices dominated, with three out of the four Winners being lady tradies. These young women are super proud to be apprentice painters and decorators and all have aspirations to develop their skills to the highest standards.
Award winners:
- Quinns Painting and Decorating – Commercial Decorative Finishes
- Melbourne Painting Company – Domestic Decorative Finishes
- Infinity Coatings – Finishing Trades Over $10,000
- Infinity Coatings – Finishing Trades Under $10,000
- The Painter’s Station – Heritage Restoration Over $100,000
- Prestigious Painting and Decorating Services Pty Ltd – Heritage Restoration Over $500,000
- McElligott Partners Pty Ltd – Heritage Restoration Over $1,000,000
- Bob De Groot Painting Services Pty Ltd – Heritage Restoration Under $100,000
- Platinum Edge Painting – Heritage Restoration Under $100,000
- McElligott Partners Pty Ltd – Industrial Coatings Over $1,000,000
- Platinum Edge Painting – Industrial Coatings Under $1,000,000
- Prestigious Painting and Decorating Services Pty Ltd – Lead Removal – Commercial
- Platinum Edge Painting – New Commercial Over $100,000
- ProjectPlus – New Commercial Over $500,000
- UBM Group Pty Ltd – New Commercial Over $1,000,000
- UBM Group Pty Ltd – New Commercial Over $2,000,000
- Clean Lines Painting and Decorating Pty Ltd – New Commercial Under $100,000
- Auspainters – New Commercial Under $50,000
- Top Notch Coatings Pty Ltd – New Domestic Over $30,000
- Clean Lines Painting and Decorating Pty Ltd – New Domestic Over $30,000
- Furlong Painting Pty Ltd – Repaint Commercial Over $100,000
- Maiolo Bros Pty Ltd – Repaint Commercial Over $500,000
- ProjectPlus – Repaint Commercial Under $100,000
- Furlong Painting Pty Ltd – Repaint Commercial Under $50,000
- Women at Work Painters Pty Ltd – Repaint Domestic Over $30,000
- Melbourne Painting Company – Repaint Domestic Over $50,000
- Women at Work Painters Pty Ltd – Repaint Domestic Under $30,000
Apprentice awards:
- Jackson Hearn – 1st Year Apprentice of the Year
- Taylah Masseli – 2nd Year Apprentice of the Year
- Eva Hay – 3rd Year Apprentice of the Year
- Brittany Delorenzo – 4th Year Apprentice of
the Year