Print Solutions
On 6 May, the printing industry secured full approval for the Level 2 Print Operative Standard from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IFATE). This has been a long journey which began back in 2016 when the industry first submitted a proposal to develop this standard. There has always been a clear demand for this standard in the printing industry, a case which has been made emphatically throughout the process, but needed now more than ever as training is being consolidated across manufacturing sectors.
Having familiarised ourselves with the process over the course of the Level 3, the standard was developed much more quickly. This fast tracking of the development was enabled by the support of the consortium which was made up of representatives from De La Rue, Page Bros Group, Westrock Multi Packaging Solutions, Graphics Packaging International, CDi, Reach Plc, Unite the Union and The Printing Charity. It was chaired by James Buffoni of Ryedale Group Ltd and vice chair was Ian Wilton of CDS, with full secretariat provided by the BPIF. There was also input from the industry which responded each time it was required to do so.
Ursula Daly, programme director at BPIF and main contact for the consortium proposal, said: ‘This is a fantastic result for the industry and a great example of the tenacity of people in print. Nobody was deterred by the many hurdles to getting approval, we knew what was needed and everybody pulled together to achieve this. We now have a solid base of apprenticeships for our industry with both the Level 2 Print Operative and the Level 3 Print Technician Standards in place. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to this great achievement.’
James Buffoni, managing director at Ryedale Group Ltd and consortium chair, said: ‘Approval of the Level 2 Standard brings recognition, structure and opportunity to the engine-room of the industry. This signifies that print operatives have key skills to offer the UK economy and ensures that print apprenticeships in the UK rival the best in the world.’
Ian Wilton, operations director – Outbound Communications at CDS and consortium vice chair, said: ‘As a past apprentice and now an employer of apprentices, I recognise the importance of the print operative role for both business success and to help entice young people into our industry. With this approval and the existing Level 3 Print Technician which the BPIF has worked tirelessly to gain approval for, we now have a solid training programme in place and an industry that young people will join and have a long successful career in.’
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