The apprentices achieved top marks for the Quality Assurance and Control written exam module and have completed three of the six needed to finish the AVCE Manufacturing course. The course is the academic part of the apprenticeships run by Technoprint.

Snee, also chairman of the Print & Graphic Communication NTOs Standards committee, said: They should be finished next year, so wed better start looking at recruiting more apprentices.

Two apprentices at Technoprint have just completed their four-year programmes. Martin Ford now works as an estimator and Howard Ball is the number one minder on the companys five-colour B2 Mitsubishi press.