Print & Graphic Communication NTO chairman John Bambery queried the viability of introducing free learning for adults lacking good foundation skills. The government said it would also lift the age cap for Modern Apprenticeships so people over 25 could learn skilled trades, and proposed a rapid expansion of the Sector Skills Council (SSC) network.
But Bambery, also managing director of Lancastrian Labels & Print, was sceptical about the expansion of the SSC network, especially as the printing industry was unable to set up its own SSC because it didnt have a large enough footprint.
Meanwhile, print colleges will be able to offer the latest City & Guilds printing course, 5261, to Septembers intake after it was approved by the Qualifications & Curriculum Authority (QCA).
Major content additions include employee rights and responsibilities, quality assurance and productivity. The pre-press and DTP pathways now include PDF workflows, colour management and proofing, while machine printing includes working with digital proofs.
Colleges had hoped to offer 5261 last year, but the qualification was rejected by the QCA, and has since been rewritten.
Story by Gordon Carson and John Davies
