Four young apprentices were hailed at an event held last Friday (16 June) that was organised by trade association Print Scotland.
The organisation provides training for modern apprentices through the Scottish Training Scheme, which provides a grant from the Scottish government to cover the cost of the training. It also provides a range of Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) as well as Modern Apprenticeship (MA) certification.
As well as representing the Scottish print community and raising the profile of future leaders of the industry, the awards ceremony highlighted the way the industry is increasingly being seen as a rewarding and socially worthwhile career option among younger people.
Garry Richmond, director of Print Scotland, said: “The number of young people seeking life opportunities in the printing industry is growing all the time and 2023 could be a record year for apprentices, which is extremely encouraging.
“Employers are well aware of the imbalance in the age profile of their workforces and are very conscious of the need to introduce fresh, new talent, with new ideas and enthusiasms. Such people will be the future of the industry.
“The sector has significantly enhanced its support for apprentices the last two years and is definitely seeing the benefit of this forward-looking approach for employers and individuals. Now, we hope that the Scottish government and its agencies will also loosen the purse strings to allow us to create more opportunities for our young people.”
Nathan Burns from CCL Design in East Kilbride was named Overall Apprentice of the Year, while Becky Young from J Thomson Colour Printers in Glasgow won Pre-Press Apprentice of the Year, Fraser Galloway of NSD Labels in Dalkeith was awarded Press Apprentice of the Year, and Post-Press Apprentice of the Year went to Laura Macdonald from Bell and Bain in Glasgow.
Burns, who is now doing SVQ Press at SCQF Level 3 at CCL Design, commented: “My apprenticeship started in January last year and I am now working primarily on flexographic printing machines. The days are always busy, but what strikes me is that everyone is enthusiastic and enjoy what they do.
“Seeing work that I have done in high street shops is very satisfying. CCL is a huge company, with global offices and operations, and I definitely see a long-term career in print. I would very much recommend it as a career.”
Print Scotland’s president Susan Graham also commented: “As well as congratulating these very worthy winners, I want to thank all the employers who take on modern apprentices and the production teams and managers who take them under their wing to teach while hitting their own targets. Mentors have such an important role.
“The life choice of the apprentices is to be celebrated. We need to grow our own to control our own success.
“To illustrate the potential in the industry, I have just promoted someone who started as a graduate apprenticeship to commercial director and someone who started as an apprentice to manufacturing director.
“A big thank you also to training officer Jim McKenzie. He has modernised the whole process. It is no longer paper-based and is now a flexible model which works for everyone. His industry knowledge is second to none.”
The awards were sponsored by Antalis, Muller Martini, and CCL Design.
