Rising star: Callum Draycott Print operative, EDWPS

Callum has just racked up six months in print, having joined the industry in April this year. He’s 23 and completed a Level 3 extended diploma in Engineering Manufacturing at Derby College’s Roundhouse campus before taking up the Eight Days a Week Print Solutions role.

What did you study, did you have a particular career in mind?

Since taking the subject in school I had always had my eyes set on a career in mechanical or electrical engineering 

How did you find your way into the industry?

The role was brought to my attention as a potential Kickstarter vacancy by my work coach. After looking into the firm, the variety of work and most importantly the machines, I was sold

Did you know anything about print beforehand?

Honestly, no

What does your current role entail?

A typical day includes preparing and handling data, creating print files, altering artwork and performing maintenance on Xerox Baltoro, Nuvera and Versant digital presses, creating and monitoring email campaigns, and trimming products via guillotine

What’s the most enjoyable or interesting thing about it?

Getting hands on with the presses, learning how they function and how they can be fixed, diagnosing faults, completing maintenance and seeing them run flawlessly afterwards 

Do you have an ideal career path mapped out?

Currently, I’m more than happy with the position I hold at Eight Days a Week, and plan to continue learning more about the industry and developing my skill set further

What would be your dream job (print related)?

Printing for Wizards of The Coast

What would be your dream job (not print related)?

Video game designer or tester

Do you have a ‘side hustle’?

Chauffeuring friends for food

What’s top of your playlist at the moment?

Skillet – Sick and Empty

Which box set would you recommend?

Clarkson’s Farm

What’s your most-used app?

YouTube

What has surprised you most about working in the printing industry?

The variety of work undertaken on a daily basis, and the number of complex, meticulous processes that go on throughout the site before a product is even printed

What could the printing industry be doing more of to entice millennials into print?

I don’t believe many young people realise just how much work goes on behind the scenes in printing, and just how many skills are relevant for a potential role in the industry. We should make potential new blood aware of all the ways in which their current skills can be integrated and improved upon in the industry

If you ruled the world...?

I’d hire a professional chef to prepare my cat’s daily three-course meals