Under a ten-minute drive from Milton Keynes Central train station lies Avery Dennison’s new centre, which opened in October 2016. Funkeefish designed and printed the graphics that will adorn the walls, and the team are looking forward to the space-themed finished product.

There are four different workshops: Basic Application Training, Conversion Training, Architecture, and Application Training (advanced training for professionals). Basic Application Training is designed for people with no experience who will learn, during one day, about self-adhesive materials and production methods through theory and hands-on application.

Conversion Training lasts two days, which is split into one morning of theory and a day and a half of practical application, for those with a basic knowledge already. Avery Dennison’s technical support for the northern region of Europe, Liam Hannon, tells me the theory side covers issues such as safety, the importance of temperature, and what the best tools to use are.

Avery Dennison are also pleased to now offer the Architecture workshop, which looks at using façade film to renovate buildings. It is ideal for painters, decorating companies, and sign companies without experience.

Application Training (advanced training for professionals) delves deeper into car wrapping with more hands-on training. The five-day course includes the Specialist Installer certification exam, although completion of the Avery Dennison Academy is recommended beforehand.

Mark Richardson, specialist trainer for Avery Dennison for the northern region of Europe, showed me around the practical area of the centre, where participants get to test out their skills.

Richardson says: “We have a car in at the moment for practical training as well as bumpers and panels, but we are going to be getting more individual car parts in soon. Next month we won’t need the car here because we’ll have all the individual car parts so people can wrap at the same time.”

In terms of equipment, the centre has a Roland Soljet Pro 4 XF-640 wide-format solvent printer and will be getting a laminator and Roland plotter in the future. Richardson explains: “The centre isn’t just useful for sign-makers. We’ll be doing laminating and printing too, so we really cover a broad range of skills.”

The opening of the centre and workshops has come at a crucial time in the market, according to Hannon, who says: “There is a need for upskilling in the graphics market and the correct use of products. Different products have different techniques and what we want to do is educate people so they can avoid failures the best they can. Expectations in the industry have got higher so you need the skills to go alongside it.”

The centre is already seeing a great amount of interest, especially for the one and two day workshops. Seven people passed the certification exam before Christmas and Avery Dennison aims to reach 20 people by the end of this year.

For more information on the different workshops and to register for one, visit www.graphics.averydennison.eu/workshops.

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