Knauf Gypsum Philippines, a leading manufacturer of gypsum boards and jointing compounds opened the first gypsum board training center in the country.
Dubbed the “Knauf Academy,” the facility is envisioned to fill the gap in the demand for more skilled workers in the domestic construction industry.
Mark Sergio, Knauf Philippines Managing Director, said the academy’s opening is a big milestone for Knauf in the Philippines.
“The intent of the training center is two-fold: We want to make sure that we can improve the capability, the workmanship quality, and skills of Filipino installers. We also want to make sure that because of this, we’re able to deliver the best customer experience for our architects, developers and contractor-partners,” Sergio said.
The academy, he added, also aims to improve the employability of Filipino skilled workers in the construction industry, particularly on gypsum board installation.
“Most of our installers in the Philippines actually learned the trade on the job, and they later became foremen themselves and eventually owners of their own small contracting businesses. We want to make sure that we improve their livelihood as well,” Sergio said.
For his part, Alexander Schmidt, Acting Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy in the Philippines, hailed Knauf, a German company, for cooperating with the German Investment and Development Corporation or DEG to start the training center.
The Knauf Academy, located at Lot 35 Block 11 Eulogio Rodriguez Jr. Ave, Bagumbayan, Quezon City, can accommodate a maximum of 18 participants. It occupies two floors with three main areas: a room at the second floor complete with a classroom setup where trainees learn the theoretical side of gypsum and other standard drywall and ceiling installation techniques; the reception and showroom area at the first floor, complete with a small snack bar where trainees can lounge around during breaks; and workshop area, also located at the first floor, where trainees can apply what they learned in theory into actual use through the various mock drywall installations and where their capabilities will be assessed.
The academy’s training modules will help equip learners on both theoretical knowledge and practical skills of Standard Drywall and Ceiling Installation.
Module 1 involves introduction to the gypsum board where trainees will get to know its history, the production process, its benefits, the various types of the gypsum board, handling and stocking, repair and cutting.
Modules 2 and 3, on the other hand, involves teaching trainees on Standard Partition and Concealed Ceiling System Installation, where they are introduced to the Drywall, Studs Layout, Standard Partition Components and Tools and other procedures. This is also the phase where trainees are introduced to Practical Training that involves Instruction and actual applications of what they learned.
Module 4 is about Taping and Jointing that covers the types of Jointing products used and the level of finishes.
Sergio said they made sure that the facility itself and the modules do not just follow the Knauf standards but also consider the Philippine context.
“We should also understand how our installers learn, and we can modify the modules based on that, with emphasis on practical training,” he said.
The Knauf Academy is open to aspiring drywall and ceiling installers who want to upskill their knowledge of gypsum board installation, architects, engineers, interior designers, students, and other partners in the construction industry.
For more information about the Knauf Academy and how to be part of the training group, email knaufacademyph@knauf.com or call (+63) 29116709 extension 4. For other details, visit www.knaufapac.com/en_ph
