Hello. My name is Mike Bignell and I teach at SAIT Polytechnic.
I work in the Apprenticeship Programs and teach Residential, Commercial and Industrial Painting. It’s a three year program with eight week intake for each year. I have been in the Painting industry for 38 years starting as an apprentice to running a company and finally an instructor. I received my Journeyman’s Ticket and Red Seal Endorsement in 1982 and starting teaching in 2002. I started my career in aboriginal programs teaching painting on Siksika Nation which lead to full-time Apprenticeship Instructor. I teach all the math , theory and practical theory relate to painting which keeps me busy during intakes. I’m also involved with Skills Alberta which show cases most of the Apprenticeship Programs through a yearly competition.
I never planned on being an instructor but never turned down a opportunity to try something different. The first five years was a large learning curve on how to be instructor. After a several years of growing pains I reached a point where I did not how to improve myself has an instructor. The PIDP course was offered but I didn’t think it help. I finally took that step and signed up for my first PIDP course in 2012 and I’m glad I did. The PIDP courses that I have taken so far, taught me how to become a better instructor. By improving my classroom lectures with being more structured and better prepared. It helped me revised all my course material and developed new material with what I learned. I will admit that some the material in the PIDP doesn’t fit with Apprenticeship Programs because of the length of time we have the apprentices. It also taught me how to try different ways to lecture because one size doesn’t fit all. I’m really pleased I took this course because I didn’t want to be that boring teacher we all had.
mike7244 