Print should do more to show off

Rising star: Isabel Shanahan, Mac operator and project coordinator, ImageCo

"I found the sense of community within the print industry really surprising”

Isabel was one of the printing industry beneficiaries in The Printing Charity’s Rising Star awards this year, and is using her grant to take courses in graphic design and exhibition design and management.

She’s 20 and is coming up for two years working at Leeds-based large-format print and cardboard engineering specialist ImageCo.

When did you start working in the printing industry?

Almost two years ago, just after I left sixth form

What did you study, and did you have a particular carer in mind?

I studied fine art, psychology and history in the hope that I would find a career within a creative industry

What does your current role entail?

I set up/create print-ready artwork files, ensuring that there are no mistakes before we pass them on to our print department. I’ve recently started to learn project coordination, this includes keeping our clients up to date with where a project is at, I’m really enjoying this so far and it ties in with Mac operating quite nicely!

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

I love that no two days are the same; one day I could be applying glitter to baubles and the next I’d be sat at my desk setting up artwork files

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

In another life I think I’d be an art teacher

What’s top of your playlist at the moment?

It really depends on what mood I’m in. Though I don’t think anyone can top Lana Del Rey in my Spotify Wrapped...

Which box set would you recommend?

Gossip Girl. I can’t believe I didn’t watch it until now, even my boyfriend loves it

What’s your most used app?

TikTok… It’s addictive!

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

I found the sense of community within the print industry really surprising, I have gained brilliant friends from various different companies who are always happy to share advice

What could the print industry be doing more of to entice young people into print?

In my opinion we should be going into more schools, colleges and universities to talk to various groups of young people – sharing job opportunities with them and really ‘showing off’ everything we do in print