Time is of the essence to ensure a continual flow of trained staff, says Richard Bloxam, head of marketing and communications and nominated print champion at government-funded Proskills.
Bloxam says the industry has relied on its stalwart survivors for too long and the time is coming when the shop floor could be bereft of trained and experienced staff.
He says: Technology and work practices have dramatically increased production, which has led to general overcapacity of print supply in the UK. In this climate, companies have been downsizing and redeploying existing staff, rather than bringing in fresh blood.
The effect has been a gradual reduction in the numbers of apprentices in training, which has led to a gradual and constant rise in the average age of the print workforce. It is imperative that the industry starts to bring in new talent to reverse this trend.
For the print sector, there are specialist agencies such as Proskills to support apprenticeships. Proskills works with printing employers to make sure training is appropriate; it maintains the qualifications’ standards, apprenticeship frameworks and career pathways. Bloxam says he would like to work even more closely with manufacturers because they know the trends so we could work with them in a complemen-tary way.
The sector needs to work together to get the programmes right and provide employers with a valued workforce. The industry needs to sell itself by offering first-class training and career development, he adds.
An employer’s first thought is probably going to be the cost. Support varies between England, Scotland and Wales, but generally there is financial help available and most of the fees are paid for. In England, the amount depends on the apprentice’s age at the programme’s start date. All training, college, assessment and exam fees are funded for 16- to 18-year-olds. For 19- to 23-year-olds, the training is part funded.
The second question is how to find the right candidate for an apprenticeship. This is not easy, admits Bloxam.
Companies do struggle to find the right person – there is no queue of people wanting to work in print. But it is important to remember that, as print has developed, there are many new opportunities and it is important to attract new talent from less traditional fields, such as finance and IT.
Employers can find a good source of candidates through organisations including the Careers Service (Connections for England), local colleges or training providers. Bloxam recommends developing links with a local school or college and twinning with a school through the PrintIT! initiative.
Building interest
Supported by Proskills, PrintIT! is designed to grow the pool of young people that want a career in the printing industry by raising their interest during school and offering work experience.
For on-the-job training, it is important to note that employers can access a range of training providers; it is not essential that apprentices work near a college. Leeds College of Art and Design, for example, is supporting apprenticeships through distance learning. The BPIF also has a national network of training coordinators.
In most cases, the college or training provider manages apprentices’ training. These organisations complete all the necessary paperwork, undertake an initial assessment of the candidate’s abilities and will draw up a training plan.
Company time needs to be set aside for the apprentice to develop his or her portfolio of evidence to support the NVQ and study for a Technical Certificate qualification, which provides the basis printing knowledge and can be gained through day release, distance learning and in-company.
Proskills has partnered with the printing industry to develop a list of competences the candidate has to prove in the workplace before the NVQ is awarded. Because they are comprehensive and systematic, the candidate is forced to demonstrate a wide range of skills. The process ensures that the apprentice has a thorough understanding of the industry and their part within it.
Future support
Richard Bloxam enjoyed his years training as an engineering apprentice. During my time completing my apprenticeship, I learned a whole host of life skills and still rely on things that I learned while training.
He believes the future of apprenticeships in the UK is bright. They offer an attractive alternative to higher education, which can leave people in debt and without work-ready skills that a graduated apprentice possesses in spades.
The government certainly believes in the scheme, setting an ambitious target to double the number of apprentices to 500,000 by 2010.
Proskills is hosting its Cross-Sector National Conference on 13 November at the Marriott Hotel Forest of Arden. Go to www.proskills.co.uk for more details.
SOURCING AND WORKING WITH APPRENTICES
• Sometimes, willing apprentices can be found in other areas of the firm, which brings benefits as they will already have a broad understanding of the business
• Speak to at least two colleges and training providers that support print apprenticeships and weigh up the benefits of what they are offering
• The training provider or college that supports the apprenticeship will carry out an initial health and safety check and, where required, provide advice on things that need to be changed before the apprentice starts work
• It’s best to appoint an apprentice for a three-month probationary period before the training programme starts to ensure all those involved are happy to proceed on to the formal training plan
• At the start of the programme, the college or provider will draw up a training plan that is agreed and signed off by the company and the apprentice
• Regular reviews will be scheduled to monitor the apprentice’s progress. These are a good opportunity to spot issues and potential problems before they become an issue
• Provide your apprentice with a broad and stimulating business experience
• Proskills (www.proskills.co.uk) can offer impartial practical advice. Contact Richard Bloxam on 07919 481842, 01235 432033 or richard.bloxam@proskills.co.uk
• There are a range of awards with categories for apprenticeship work, including Proskills’ Apprentice of the Year awards and Printing World/BPIF Excellence Awards
CASE STUDY: CHARLES LETTS
Scott Clark is learning the craft of mechanised book binding and print finishing through a full-time apprenticeship at Dalkeith, Scotland-based diary specialist Charles Letts. Clark, 22, is three years into the four-year programme and says he enjoys his work due to good workplace communication. Everybody has explained everything as I have gone along, he says.
Bernard Morocco, quality engineer at Letts, himself an apprentice at the company 44 years ago, plays a large part in the company’s apprenticeship programme. He is keen to ensure the future of apprenticeships as he says he can see the skill level being dramatically diluted in the next five years.
I would say our average employee is older than 48. As a whole, I don’t think the industry is keeping up with the level of retirements and it would be a folly in a business sense for the industry to not continue with the apprenticeship schemes.
Costs run at around £11,000, both for 18- to 24-month ‘adult’ apprenticeships and four-year ‘full-term’ apprenticeships, which are open to 16- to 18-year-olds. On completion, the Scottish Print Employers Federation (SPEF) gives annual grants of £3,000 for full-term and £1,500 for adult apprenticeships.
The teenage apprentices take four two-week breaks to Glasgow School of Printing for training, while adult participants work entirely in-house under Morocco’s comprehensive training regime.
Letts currently has 10 apprentices among its 350 staff. To attract candidates, the company hosts an open day every April, which normally attracts around 30-40 young people. Morocco says the day is a tremendous opportunity to source good candidates.
Throughout his tenure at Letts, he has only seen one female apprentice go through the company’s training scheme. However, he would like to see more girls entering the industry, as he finds women to be more logical and with a high level of dexterity.
Two of Charles Letts’ apprentices have won national awards and six have won at a Scottish level in seven years.
