73 www.printmonthly.co.uk Issue 362 - September | October 2026 “tips, tricks, and skills” which may not have been covered in a textbook but “will come in handy in the real working environment.” Don’t Leave It Too Late Circling back to Christmas’ experience with Learn2Print, which, as its name may suggest, specialises in training for the printing and graphics industry. Education director, Jon Bray, explains that while the provider is involved with both large and small companies across the UK, the message is the same: people who are retiring, and there is no one to replace them. “In my opinion, the reason for this is that companies leave it too late to recruit,” Bray says, adding: “The skilled people have left before they have time to mentor new people into the industry leaving companies in a panic. Learn2Print constantly tries and pushes companies to invest into apprenticeship and always consider a five-year plan with a view to not getting caught out. The apprenticeships are funded and the government have some fantastic incentives for companies. Companies need make good use of what is on offer.” Bray went on to highlight the lack of print-focused training available in the UK. In 1997, he says there were 32 dedicated training providers, whereas at present, there is just two – mainly due to the cost of equipment, with colleges effectively shutting their doors to print. For this reason, he says Learn2Print is more passionate than ever about championing the industry and the opportunities it offers. “We now operate a national provision to ensure printers everywhere have access to the apprenticeships in prepress, press, and postpress operations,” he explains, adding: “That said, the companies themselves need to reach out and let us help them. It has now got to a stage where the sector is struggling, and we are now being inundated with large and small companies approaching us for help. Learn2Print have double the intake of apprentices since this time last year.” Learn2Print offers both full-cost, tailormade training and apprenticeships, though Bray says the latter forms its “backbone”. Options are available in both intermediate and advanced forms, with Bray saying its current eldest learner is 46. “We work closely with companies to help with their recruitment and help to structure the workforce to support and mentor the apprentices,” he says, continuing: “Companies need to reach out to print apprenticeship providers and find out what is on offer and what the latest financial initiatives are. “Printing businesses can get up to £3,000 per apprentice. They need to support marketing to schools to get younger people excited about a fantastic career in print.” Building For The Future Though specialist training for the industry may be on the sparse side, recent developments suggest there is still a strong appetite for these types of programmes. In May of this year, the British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF) completed the sale of BPIF Training, its regulated apprenticeship training provider that serves employers and learners across the print and packaging sector. The provider was picked up by Fiona Hudson-Kelly, an experienced figure in apprenticeships, workforce development, and business growth. Hudson-Kelly is perhaps best known as the founder of Smart Assessor, a leading software platform supporting apprenticeship training providers across the UK. Under her leadership, it is hoped that BPIF Training will go from strength to strength and open more opportunities in the industry. Key to the sale is that the change of ownership has not had any impact on learners, employers, or apprenticeship programmes. BPIF Training has continued to deliver training and support as normal, with existing arrangements, learner support, and employer relationships all unchanged. In addition, BPIF Training will maintain a close working partnership with the BPIF moving forward. TRAINING AND ENTRY POINTS | ROB FLETCHER One of the biggest challenges is attracting new people into the industry, engaging them, and helping them understand just how much it has evolved ►Jon Bray of Learn2Print highlights the value of apprenticeships to print companies ▼Sarah Lees recently became an ambassador for the FESPA UK Next Generation initiative Companies in print can be paid £3,000 per apprentice £3,000
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