Seven apprentices were invited on the ‘flight’ including BPIF training administrator Jack Steel, Robert Radford at PWC in-house printers, Richard Wood and Sam Blown from Tapestry, Elle Lou Roffey from Linklaters, Vanessa Forsyth from Aquatint BSC and Optichrome’s Jack Moorhead.

Joining the apprentices were leaders from BPIF partners Proskills, Two Sides and the Skills Funding Agency that work together to help boost apprenticeship delivery in the print industry.

According to the BPIF, the experience was an opportunity for its apprentices to mix with others from the industry and to hear from those who themselves had started with an apprenticeship and since risen through the print world, such as BPIF president Tony Garnish, also chief executive of ASG Europe.

Addressing the apprentices during the hour-long ride Garnish said: "I must be getting old because people keep asking me when I am going to stop.

"I have no intention of retiring any time soon because I wouldn’t want to leave this industry. I hope all of you find the same, no matter where you end up or what part of the industry you are in, I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. It’s been wonderful."

BPIF chief executive Kathy Woodward said that apprenticeships would take on a new meaning for the industry going forward.

"The cost of traditional college or university-based education with no guarantee of a job will make it increasingly unattractive to those looking to develop their careers," she said. "The printing industry, providing it keeps its portfolio of its apprentice qualifications wide, current, and well delivered, will offer great career routes.

Woodward said that the BPIF was "making real in-roads" to broaden and deepen its qualification suite, working in collaboration with Proskills, the Skills Funding Agency and Print Yorkshire.

She added: "Every Print Company should think outside the box and consider taking on one of ‘tomorrow’s consumers’. They live the creative and digital industry! It’s a win win opportunity."

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