Last month, City & Guilds calculated that the combined wealth of the top 100 UK residents who have gone on to build a fortune following an apprenticeship or other practical qualification totalled an impressive £17.6bn.

However, while the number of apprenticeships in the UK continues to grow, print is still poorly represented in the mix. Indeed, at next month’s World Skills London 2011, the UK’s biggest showcase of vocational skills, UK print will be conspicuous by its absence, according to Mark Hogan, marketing director of event sponsor Heidelberg UK.

"The offset printing category we are supporting has a dozen strong contenders from around the world, put forward by print colleges and industry associations, and it is really disappointing that once again no UK contestant will be taking part in this prestigious global event," he says.

Figures from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) show that an additional 103,000 adults started apprenticeships in 2010/11, compared to the previous year, more than double the government’s target, bringing the total to 257,000.

There was, however, no significant increase in the number of apprenticeships in the print and paper sectors. And this is bad news because it means UK print is missing out.

Recent research from sector skills council Proskills revealed that 76% of companies in the manufacturing industry reported productivity improvements when they took on apprentices, and 80% saw their staff turnover rate fall.

For those wanting to get involved, the government will fund 100% of the cost of training for 16-to-18-year-olds and up to 50% of the cost of training those aged from 19 to 24.

Flexible options
It is important to remember that an apprentice doesn’t have to be taken on in a specific technical function, such as press minder, finishing or pre-press technician; they can also be employed in more administrative or general roles, such as account manager or estimator.

One company that is benefiting from apprenticeships is Wallasey-based LT Print Group, which has taken on one apprentice in each of the past two years, working in conjunction with Wallasey Council and the BPIF. One trainee is currently at the company’s HQ studying administration, while the other is at its digital production facility in Birkenhead.

According to Bob McWilliams, director at the business, apprentices are an investment in the future. "Unlike some printers, when the economy gets back to normal we will have the trained staff needed to take the business forward," he says.

Proskills also stresses that the benefits gained from taking on an apprentice far outweigh the costs and effort put in by employers such as LT Print.

"The apprenticeship programme is very beneficial, but a lot of companies assume that it is too bureaucratic and cumbersome, and that staff that are tasked with training the apprentice will spend too much time away from the work that they are supposed to be doing," says Terry Watts, chief executive at Proskills.

McWilliams adds that there are popular misconceptions about apprenticeships that need to be disregarded. "With fewer people going to university, I think the quality of people coming through apprenticeship schemes is better than in previous years," he says.

However, he points out that LT Print picked its apprentices from a pool of 50 hopefuls. "You must be selective. The decline in print colleges has left the industry with a gap in sector-specific skills, but you still have to take on the best candidate possible," he adds.

Jonathan Bray is the managing director at training provider Learn2Print. He claims that a fall-off in training providers has undermined companies’ recruitment of suitable apprentices and that on-site training courses could help put print back on the apprenticeship map.

"For a long time, companies have been forced to send folks away to college, either on block or day release. Learn2Print can take all that away by going to the individual companies and delivering the apprenticeship onsite," he says.

And in a recent survey by City & Guilds, 89% of employers saw apprentices as key to future success, while more than half (52%) of those that already recruit apprentices believe that they offer greater value than hiring university graduates.

Supply and demand
Chris Jones, chief executive and director general of City & Guilds recognises this, but says that unless the barriers dissuading more employers, particularly SMEs, from hiring an apprentice are addressed, supply will continue to outstrip demand.

"There will be more than 210,000 people who won’t get a place at university this year. And, with our increasingly ageing population, core industry skills and quality of experience will continue to leave the UK workforce," he says.

McWilliams is adamant that taking on an apprentice brings short- and long-term benefits to both employer and trainee. "Print companies need to start looking beyond the current economic climate. There are many skilled individuals out there at the moment that could prove beneficial to their business. And when the economy recovers, these skills will ensure your business comes out the other end stronger," adds McWilliams.

APPRENTICESHIPS: THE FACTS
The BPIF defines an apprenticeship as a work-based programme aimed at improving the skills of employees in businesses, concentrating on both technical competencies and inter-personal skills. 

A successful programme requires a maintained commitment from both employers and employees, while completed apprenticeships reward companies with motivated and competent employees, and give apprentices a regular income as well as the demonstrable skills to advance in their chosen career.

Taking on an apprentice can look like a complicated process, but it isn’t. Here are the options available to employers.

Types of apprenticeship:

A new starter employed by a training organisation
This is an excellent way for a business to dip its toe in the apprenticeship water. It requires minimum commitment as apprentices are employed by training agencies.

A directly employed new starter
Here the trainee is recruited from a training provider, school or college as part of your company. A key advantage is that school leavers and 16-18-year-olds are eligible for government-funded training. You can advertise your positions on Job Centre Plus and the National Apprenticeship Service.

Current employee
This typically results in a shorter training time and leads to the development of existing staff, giving an opportunity for employee career progression and better employee morale

The costs involved?
Government funding is available for the cost of training apprentices. This provides: 100% of the cost of training for 16-18-year-olds; up to 50% for 19-24-year-olds; and a contribution to training costs for people over 25.

Employers are expected to pay an appropriate wage for the job. At present, the average pay for an apprentice is £170 per week.

Print apprenticeships
There are a large number of print apprenticeship courses on offer. These include: internal and external sales, estimating, production scheduling, pre-press, printing, post-press and packing.

More information on setting up apprenticeships is available from a number of sources. Check out:
BIS: www.bis.gov.uk
BPIF: www.britishprint.com
City & Guilds: www.cityandguilds.com
NAS: www.apprenticeships.org.uk Proskills: www.proskills.co.uk

Alternatively, training provider Learn2Print specialises in on-site training and offers a raft of training options. Visit www.learn2print.com