The Level 2 Print Operative Standard training proposal has been approved by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IFATE) after five years in the making.
"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,” aid Ursula Daly, programme director at BPIF and main contact for the consortium proposal.
A proposal to develop this standard was first submitted in 2016, and its development was managed and tracked by a consortium made up of representatives from De La Rue, Page Bros Group, Westrock Multi Packaging Solutions, Graphics Packaging International, CDi, Reach, Unite the Union and The Printing Charity. It was chaired by James Buffoni of Ryedale Group and vice chair was Ian Wilton of CDS, with a secretariat provided by the BPIF. There was also input from the wider print industry.
Buffoni 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.”
Wilton added: “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.”