Two UK colleges are set to close their on-site print centres and switch to off-site training instead due to lack of demand.


The move by Bridgend College in Wales and the Gloucester College of Arts & Technology (Gloscat) will leave a huge hole west of Birmingham for practical, college-based courses, said Print & Graphic Communication NTO chief executive Richard Beamish. He added that while in-company training might be practical for larger com-panies its the small companies that make up most of the industry who will suffer.


But both colleges said local companies of all sizes failed to send apprentices to day-release City & Guilds courses, so will now offer NVQs with practical support at the workplace.
Weve been trying now for four years and weve never gone over single figures. Weve got six students coming back next September and running a print facility is very expensive, said Bridgend spokeswoman Julie Chapman.


Gloscat project area manager Colin Smith said: We cant guarantee that we can replace the equipment we have.
The amount of students that apply seems to have reduced, so we made the decision to change the delivery of our print courses to off-site.


Both colleges will continue to run equipment to honour commitments to students who are part-way through courses.
Gloscat runs three Heidelberg presses and a Sakurai as well finishing and platemaking kit, while Bridgend runs Sakurais.


Beamish said he would fight to keep the courses running but admitted it would be an uphill battle. Were trying to get young kids into the colleges, but what are they coming into? he added.


Story by Lauretta Roberts