Creating Pathways for Sign Making Training

Signee is an industry platform that has been developed by Master Sign Maker experts for the purpose of educating to employment or creating pathways to apprenticeships.  The association has developed two Signee programs, both certified and industry recognised. 

Signee Industry is a full program with online learning and workbook.  It has been developed for those already employed within the industry but at entry-level role or those looking to pivot direction from closely connected industries.  

Signee Gateway is now ……….

available in high schools nationwide and was release in October this year.  This program is the “stripped back” version of the full Signee Industry program, just the bare essentials and basic knowledge of sign making for students.   This sign making gateway program is new and content within the course outline contains NZQA credits for students to achieve.

Both programmes offer similar processes and expectations, beginning with a 1-week work placement in school holidays or at a time convenient, with a one day a week to follow until completion or 10 weeks which-ever is the later.  The Signee Gateway program cost is reduced to $600 + GST of which the high schools are responsible for.  The reduced cost reflects courses that are included in the full Signee Industry program that are not necessary or required at school level, or students may have already achieved these.  i.e.   Working at Heights or First Aid certificates.  Signee Industry program cost is $1,200 + GST and includes a comprehensive workbook, online learning, plus additional course requirements needed to meet expectations of the industry.  The Employer who takes on any Signee’s will also be given a Trainer Guide to assist with the training and mentoring on a week by week basis.

Employers in the sign industry can be confident that both these programmes will provide a well-informed insight into what a career in the New Zealand sign industry is all about by learning fundamental knowledge and skills in the ‘six pillars’ of sign making and health and safety, the six pillars being,  Design, Manufacture, Application, Installation, Illumination and Traditional.

Now that the platforms have been developed, the working documents implemented, and the marketing for Signee Gateway and Industry released, it has created that very important link to our industry with pathways and connections to high schools, tertiary institutions, and other industries, all we need now is the support of our members and the industry.

We need employers from “full service” sign shops to offer their workplace environment, their mentorship, and most of all their passion and time to show students or entry level employees just how exciting and diverse our industry can be.  We are looking in the first instance for NZSDA members nationwide.  If you think you can ‘pay if forward’,  ‘give back to Industry’, or simply just passionate enough to care about the sign making future, then we want to hear from you.

To register your interest head to our Signee website at https://signee.nzsda.org.nz/employers-trainers/ and we will do the rest!