Careers-pack_Final-draft-15062015

It’s a printed world!

Copyright © 2015 Proskills UK Group
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the publisher
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Proskills UK Group
Unit 24 East Central,
127 Olympic Avenue,
Milton Park,
Abingdon,
Oxfordshire, OX14 4SA
www.proskills.co.uk
CONTENTS
AN INTRODUCTION TO APPRENTICESHIPS IN PRINT, PAPER & PACKAGING 4
START THEIR JOURNEY INTO APPRENTICESHIPS NOW 5
APPRENTICESHIPS EXPLAINED 6
› What are apprenticeships? 6
› Benefits of an apprenticeship 6
› Apprentice testimonials 7
› Apprenticeship pathways available in the Printing and Paper industries 8
› What do the pathways mean? 9
› How to apply for an apprenticeship 10
CAREERS IN PRINTING, PAPER AND PACKAGING 11
› Facts and figures 11
› Typical career progression routes in Print and Paper 12
› Who could they work for? 14
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 16
ABOUT PRINTIT!/PROSKILLS 17
ABOUT THE NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP SERVICE 18
ABOUT THE BRITISH PRINTING INDUSTRIES FEDERATION (BPIF) 19
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INTRODUCTION
APPRENTICESHIPS
IN PRINT, PAPER
& PACKAGING
IT’S A PRINTED WORLD...
Close your eyes and imagine a world without print and
paper, it’s not as easy as some may think.
Our essential and everyday items, everything from the money in
our pockets to the newspapers we read on the train, rely on the
printing, paper & packaging industries to exist. These industries
have a combined contribution to the UK economy of over £23 billion
and employ more than 235,000 people. They offer fantastic career
opportunities.
Leadership &
Management
WHAT THIS BOOK IS ALL ABOUT...
There’s a whole host of industries out there which can offer your
students an exciting and sustainable career. From designers to
business developers it offers an array of professions that young
people may have never usually considered.
This book is designed to help you reach out to your students and
give them the information they need to get a career in print and
paper.
STUDENTS’ EDUCATION
IS CHANGING...
Apprenticeships are back on the agenda!
They are a real route to work which offer no debt with high levels of
learning which go up to doctoral level.
The government is putting money back into the system and more
companies are offering apprenticeships, making it a genuine
alternative to university.
START THEIR JOURNEY
INTO APPRENTICESHIPS
NOW
REAL INSIGHT INTO
THE WORLD OF WORK
LINK WITH AN EMPLOYER
IN THESE INDUSTRIES
Creative
& Design
Taking the jump from school into an apprenticeship is a big deal for
students, but there are programmes out there that give young people
a real insight into the world of work, before they’ve even left school.
Local printers and employers can offer your students a wealth of
insight into the Print and Paper industries. Building relationships
can not only help to inspire young people into work but also provide
opportunities for your school to make links with local businesses.
PRINTIT! SCHOOLS INTO
INDUSTRY PROGRAMME
Be sure to encourage your students to search through local
newspapers and directories so they can find apprenticeship
vacancies from home!
Account
Management/
Customer Care
AN APPRENTICESHIP
CAN BE DONE IN ANY
OF THESE AREAS
Planning &
Production
‘PrintIT!’ is a ‘Schools into Industry’ programme that has been
teaching students about the Print, Paper and Packaging industries
since 2005. More than 140,000 pupils and over 2000 schools have
taken part in the programme to date.
The aim of ‘PrintIT!’ is to give students the opportunity to learn more
about the Print and Paper industries and the career opportunities
they provide.
Free programme, free registration and free high-quality
learning materials, including information sheets, videos,
PowerPoint presentations and employer developed materials
are available at:
‘PrintIT!’ comes with a host of careers information and support to
help students access apprenticeships and jobs.
www.proskills.co.uk/printit
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Warehousing
& Logistics
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APPRENTICESHIPS
EXPLAINED
WHAT ARE
APPRENTICESHIPS?
DON’T JUST TAKE
OUR WORD FOR IT!
ASHLEY ALISON
Carton Manufacturing Apprentice, Scotland
“Through my apprenticeship I have had the chance to learn everything from scratch, I’ve learnt the skills I need in work but it’s also
taught me how to work as part of a team, and working as a female in a male dominated industry has also built up my confidence and
made me a more determined person.”
An apprenticeship has two core components, a VRQ which is a
vocational related qualification, the underpinning knowledge
and an NVQ which is a national vocational qualification, achieved
through work based evidence.
Apprentices also undergo Functional Skills, which develop
their understanding of English, Mathematics and Information
Communication Technology (ICT).
Apprenticeships take 1 to 4 years to complete depending
on their level.
BENEFITS OF AN
APPRENTICESHIP
› Earn while you learn
Apprentices earn a national minimum wage of £2.73 per hour, with
some employers offering more. They may even pay for travel and
accommodation.
› Get paid holidays
Apprentices are treated as normal employees and receive the same
holiday entitlements as their colleagues.
› Receive training to gain new skills
Some apprentices complete their whole apprenticeship in the work
place, others attend college on a part time basis. It all depends on
the apprenticeship and the knowledge/skills required.
LEVELS OF
APPRENTICESHIP
An apprenticeship has an equivalent higher education level
and can be:
› Level 1
equivalent to 5 GCSE passes
› Level 2
equivalent to 2 A level passes
› Level 3
equivalent to HNC (higher national certificate) or above
Who can apply?
Your students can apply for an apprenticeship while they’re
still at school. To start one, they’ll need to be:
› 16 or over
› not in full-time education
RHIAN JOHNS
Print and Graphics Apprentice, Wales
“Although it is difficult to juggle the workload and sometimes I have to work late into the night on projects, I feel like I’m getting
the best of both worlds. My degree enables me to apply what I learn in the workplace, whilst having a regular wage from the
apprenticeship means I am not struggling financially like class mates.”
NEIL BURNETT
Printer - Former Apprentice, England
“I joined the industry when I left school and I was looking for a modern and established trade, that’s when I found printing. My
perception of the trade before I started was essentially newspapers and magazines, then I realised there is so much more to it. I
managed to get a printing apprenticeship and completed it in 3 years, now 8 years later I am a printer at TJ International and work not
only on the presses, but business development and strategy. I’ve been working in the industry for 15 years now and the times ahead for
it are very exciting with new technologies being developed in digital and more.“
HETTIE FOREMAN
Multimedia and Communications Assistant - Former Apprentice, England
“By working for 12 months as a Graphic Design Apprentice and completing a level 3 Advanced Qualification in IT, it kick-started my
career in the industry and not only gave me the opportunity to get my foot in the door, but the confidence and experience to do so. My
apprenticeship enabled me to learn invaluable skills, that I now use everyday in my new, progressed role.”
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APPRENTICESHIP
PATHWAYS AVAILABLE
WHAT DO THE
PATHWAYS MEAN?
EXPLAINED
PRINT & PACKAGING APPRENTICESHIP FRAMEWORK
LEVEL 2
APPRENTICESHIP
LEVEL 3
APPRENTICESHIP
PRE-PRESS
MACHINE
PRINTING
PRINT
FINISHING
PRINT
ADMIN
REPRO-
GRAPHICS
DIGITAL
PRE-PRESS
CARTON
MANUFACTURE
› Pre-Press
This is the process that occurs between the creation of a print layout
and the final printing. The apprentice will learn skills that include
the adjustment of images/texts which are created in programmes
such as Adobe InDesign & QuarkXPress.
› Machine Printing
This includes the preparation of equipment and operation of the
presses and machines that produce items such as books, magazines,
newspapers, packaging materials, etc. The apprentice will learn
skills that will enable them to operate the machinery safely.
COMBINED MANUFACTURING PROCESSES (PAPER)
PAPER
MANUFACTURE
EXPLAINED
› Print Finishing
This process includes the cutting, folding, binding and stitching
of the final printed product. The apprentice will learn skills which
involve the use of specialist finishing and binding equipment.
LEVEL 2
APPRENTICESHIP
LEVEL 3
APPRENTICESHIP
OTHER RELATED PATHWAYS
› Paper Manufacture
This involves unique training in working in a paper mill where an
apprentice will learn skills in machine operation, making paper or
corrugated board and tissue from wood pulp and recycled materials.
EXPLAINED
› Print Administration
This includes the administrative side of printing from organising
suppliers to planning the print jobs. The apprentice will learn skills
in time management, teamwork and IT.
› Reprographics
This process involves multiple methods to reproduce various
products. The apprentice will learn skills in using specialist
machinery as well as how to time manage the production of a
range of materials (manuals, brochures, leaflets and documents).
LEVEL 2
APPRENTICESHIP
CUSTOMER
SERVICES
TEAM
LEADER
BUSINESS
ADMIN
LEADERSHIP &
MANAGEMENT
There are many apprenticeship pathways printing
companies need, from design, to customer service and
management. Below are just some examples:
› Customer Services
They will learn the essential skills needed in the printing industries
to provide outstanding customer service to their clients.
› Carton Manufacture
This process involves the creation of cartons (a box or container).
They will learn skills on how to use specialist equipment safely
and increase their knowledge of designing a 3D product using CAD
software and producing samples.
LEVEL 3
APPRENTICESHIP
LEVEL 4 HIGHER
APPRENTICESHIP
LEVEL 5 HIGHER
APPRENTICESHIP
› Team Leader
No printing related company can function without team leaders and
managers guiding the production process. They will learn essential
skills in leadership, problem solving and project management.
› Business Admin
The day-to-day tasks of a company need to run smoothly and
efficiently for it to succeed. They will learn a wide range of skills
related to administration, creating business documents and
business development.
The apprenticeship frameworks in Scotland and
Northern Ireland are slightly different than England
& Wales. For more information on the pathways available
please visit www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk for
Scotland and www.nidirect.gov.uk/apprenticeships
for Northern Ireland.
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HOW TO APPLY FOR AN
APPRENTICESHIP
VACANCIES
CAREERS IN
PRINTING, PAPER
& PACKAGING
Advertising
With over 22,000 quality apprenticeship vacancies available,
applying for an apprenticeship has never been easier.
› To find out more about apprenticeships visit:
www.apprenticeships.gov.uk
› To apply for apprenticeship vacancies visit:
www.gov.co.uk/apply-apprenticeships
YOU CAN WORK IN PRINT &
PAPER BUT BE IN ANY
INDUSTRY!
Creative
Design
Digital Comms
There is also further information on apprenticeships including
guidance and advice. You can also search for vacancies in your
local area by contacting employers directly, or taking a look at
your local newspapers careers section and website.
Sales &
Marketing
Entrepreneurial
Journalism
PRINT & PAPER
Service
Industry
Customer
Services
Engineering
SOME FACTS AND FIGURES
ON THE UK’S PRINT SECTOR:
Passenger
Transport
Packaging
› World’s fifth largest producer of printed products
› £13.5 billion turnover
› £6.1 billion gross value added
› 8,600 companies
› 122,000 employees
› Positive trade balance in 2014 of £750 million
› £600 million p.a. capital investment
Vehicle
Wrapping
Home
Decor
3D
Printing
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TYPICAL CAREER
PROGRESSION ROUTES
THERE’S MORE FLEXIBILITY IN CAREER
PROGRESSION THAN YOU REALISE!
Often people hop around in their career, gaining a mix of experience from a variety of job roles.
Career progression is not always straight up to the top!
PRINT:
SENIOR MANAGER
£25,000 - £70,000
Marketing Manager Studio Manager Sales Manager Customer Services Manager
Senior Production Manager Quality Assurance Manager Senior Operation Manager
MANAGER
£25,000 - £50,000
Marketing Executive
Senior Graphic Designer Sales Executive Production Manager Print Manager Operations Manager
FULL OPERATIVE
£16,000 - £45,000
Marketing Assistant
Graphic Designer Print Estimator
Digital Print Production
Print Finisher Machine Printer Press Operator
Book Binder
Operator
OPERATIVE
£16,000 - £35,000
Assistant
Trainee Designer
Trainee Print Estimator
Print Room/ Reprographic
Assistant
Trainee Book Binder
APPRENTICE
£10,000 - £15,000
Marketing & Communication
Apprentice
Graphic Designer Apprentice Print Administrator Apprentice Digital Print Production
Finisher Apprentice Machine Printer Apprentice
Apprentice
PAPER:
SENIOR MANAGER
£25,000 - £70,000
Distribution Manager
Financial Controller
Marketing Director
Health & Safety Director
Engineering Manager
Quality Manager
Production Manager
Environment & Compliance
Manager
MANAGER
£25,000 - £50,000
Warehouse Manager
Accounts Manager
Marketing Manager
Health & Safety Manager
Maintenance Engineering
Supervisor
Quality Technician
Paper Making Supervisor
Product/ Paper Technologist
FULL OPERATIVE
£16,000 - £45,000
Warehouse Operative
Accountant
Marketing Executive
Health & Safety Advisor
Maintenance Engineer
E/I Technician/ Boilerman
Paper Maker
OPERATIVE
£16,000 - £35,000
Trainee Warehouse Operative
Trainee Accountant
Marketing Assistant
Trainee Maintenance Engineer
Trainee Paper Maker
Typical routes
APPRENTICE
£10,000 - £15,000
Warehouse & Distribution
Apprentice
Accountant/ Payroll Apprentice
Marketing & Communication
Apprentice
Occupational
Heath & Safety Apprentice
Engineering Apprentice
Paper Making/ Board
Related Products Apprentice
Ways to get there
(Not every company will typically
follow the routes in this diagram
but they are possible!)
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WHO COULD THEY
WORK FOR?
PRINT MANUFACTURERS:
These companies produce the equipment purchased by printers all over the world. Their
clients will include a wide range of printers from large commercial printers to a high
street retailer selling printers you might buy for your home.
LITHO PRINTERS:
The lithographic printing process is one of the oldest and has evolved today to print large
production runs. Companies in this field will typically work to supply companies who require
a large of amount of brochures, flyers, books, manuals, etc.
WIDE FORMAT PRINTERS:
These companies print the large scale print jobs you might see day to day. For example
billboard posters, building wraps, cardboard DVD displays in your local supermarket.
Clients for these printers could be Sony, Disney, Waitrose, Topshop, etc.
FLEXOGRAPHIC PRINTERS:
The flexographic printing process is typically used to print packaging materials. Companies in this
field will be able to print on products such as bags, corrugated containers, folded cartons, beverage
containers, cups, labels, envelopes and much more. Clients for them would include major manufactures
in many fields, particularly food & drink, such as Nestlé, Cadbury, Kraft, Coca Cola, etc.
DIGITAL PRINTERS:
The digital printing process is popular as its machinery can print on demand direct from digital files.
They can print on demand with no need for pre-determined print runs. Companies in this field have
a variety of clients from the individual right up to large scale organisations.
GRAVURE PRINTERS:
Companies in this field use printing equipment which uses rotating cylinders that produce very
high quality printing over long runs. Products typically include wallpaper, food packaging,
wrapping paper, magazines, etc. Their clients would be a wide range including IKEA, Vogue
Magazine, Marks & Spencer’s, etc.
PRINT MANAGEMENT & WEB APPLICATIONS:
Many companies specialise in print management software development to
streamline the process of sending artwork through to the printing production floor
and printer management/maintenance. Clients range from professional printers to
companies who require in-house office printing. There are also many opportunities in
web development and IT as print, paper & packaging companies rely on modern
communications to run an effective business.
PAPER MILLS, RECYCLING &
CARTON MANUFACTURERS:
These provide vital products to not only the printing industry but the UK as a whole.
From paper to carton manufacturing, they are essential for our everyday items. Recycling
plays a big role in keeping our carbon footprint low with 67% of paper and cardboard in
the UK recycled each year. Clients range from packaging companies, printers, supermarkets,
local councils and more.
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ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
CAREERS
& APPRENTICESHIPS
PROSPECT4U
prospect4u.co.uk
Young people can map out a career path that’s right for them with
this interactive online tool. Showing the pathways available in
print, paper or packaging, they are able to click through different
routes and see how far they can go!
PROSKILLS UK
proskills.co.uk/careers
See first-hand how an apprenticeship can work for them at
www.proskills.co.uk/careers. There is a wealth of information on
career progression routes with apprenticeship case studies and
videos.
NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP SERVICE
apprenticeships.gov.uk
The National Apprenticeship Service offers a whole
host of information regarding apprenticeships,
vacancies, practical information and more.
PRINT, PACKAGING
& PAPER APPRENTICESHIP
TRAINING PROVIDERS
› BPIF
britishprint.com
› Learn2print
learn2print.com
› Leicester College
leicestercollege.ac.uk
› Leeds City College
leedscitycollege.ac.uk
› Leading Industrial Training Specialists
lits.org.uk
INDUSTRY
INFORMATION
BPIF
britishprint.com
The British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF) is the trade
association for the UK print, printed packaging and graphic
communication industry. They have useful information on the
industries as a whole and also provide training in apprenticeships.
CPI
www.paper.org.uk
The Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) is an organisation
working on behalf of the UK’s paper based industries. They offer
a wealth of information on paper and corrugated cardboard
including the process of papermaking, industry facts & figures
and recycling.
ABOUT PROSKILLS
UK GROUP
Proskills UK Group is a champion for quality industrial skills
development in both the UK and abroad.
The Group remains industry focussed but is now a self-sustaining
and award winning skills body that creates impact at the cutting
edge of vocational education and training development.
The scope of our charitable work includes the development
of industry skill standards, work-based qualifications and
apprenticeships, alongside the management and delivery of our
hugely successful Schools into Industry programmes.
Through our long-term industrial partnerships we also provide
vocational education, training consultancy and study programmes.
These are proven to help employers raise the productivity and
competitiveness of their staff, Governments and their agencies to
tackle national, regional and industry priorities.
Alongside other training partners we help to develop their own
skills and training offers at home and abroad.
For more information please visit: www.proskills.co.uk
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ABOUT THE NATIONAL
APPRENTICESHIP SERVICE
The National Apprenticeship Service supports the delivery
of apprenticeships and traineeships in England. It offers
free, impartial advice and support to employers looking to
recruit for the first time or expand their programme.
We enable our nation to generate a more highly skilled workforce
through apprenticeships, traineeships and awards, which create
opportunity, support development and showcase excellence.
Our endeavours enable us to:
› Transform the lives of our people
› Stimulate growth and strengthen our economy
› Instil pride in the skilled people of our nation
We work with businesses of all sizes to analyse training needs,
identify relevant apprenticeships and the best way of providing the
training. The National Apprenticeship Service provides a responsive
and customer-focused web and telephone service which offers a
high quality, tailored experience to each employer.
For more information please visit: www.apprenticeships.gov.uk
ABOUT THE BRITISH PRINTING
INDUSTRIES FEDERATION (BPIF)
The BPIF is the principal business support organisation
representing the UK print, printed packaging and graphic
communication industry.
It is one of the country’s leading trade associations. The federation
strives to ensure their members’ requirements come first.
Through listening to their needs they have developed an unrivalled
range of products and services that go well beyond those provided
by a traditional trade association.
They provide the highest standard of support for printers to grow
and develop healthy, sustainable and profitable business’s, aiming
to provide an environment geared towards their businesses success.
The BPIF offer practical, value-adding solutions for all areas of a
print organisation, ranging from Health, Safety, Environmental
and Quality issues; with the implementation of HR requirements;
provide resolutions of technical or legal issues; as well as advice
and support on marketing, sales and finance. This is all delivered
by individuals and teams of highly skilled and experienced print
industry specialists.
The BPIF believe excellent training is vital to ensure the industry
thrives. They deliver foundation, advanced, higher and degree
apprenticeships to the industry and have 500-600 apprentices on
programme at any given time.
They also offer a wide range of opportunities for networking both
regionally and nationally, including prestigious events, special
interest groups and popular short courses on a wide range of topics.
For more information on the BPIF, visit: www.britishprint.com
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Proskills UK Group
Unit 24 East Central, 127 Olympic Avenue, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 4SA
Telephone: 01235 432030
Email: info@proskills.co.uk
© Copyright Proskills UK Group 2015. All rights reserved.
Registered Charity no: 1155635
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