Following the success of the FESPA Next Generation initiative, we hear from Molly Jackson, head of content and marketing at FESPA UK, who gives her perspective on entering the industry, standing out to employers, and embracing the team you work with Making Your Voice Heard Ijoined FESPA UK in 2023, shortly after turning 19 years old. At the time, I knew very little about the print, signage, and graphics industries, let alone what FESPA UK actually did. During my first few weeks in my role as a content creator, I felt completely out of my depth, despite all the guidance and explanations from Suzi Ward, my managing director. My biggest challenge was simple – how could I create content for an industry I knew virtually nothing about? I came into the job with no real expectations and very limited knowledge of the sector. Like most people, I assumed printing was all about paper. It didn’t take long for me to realise that the industry is far more diverse, innovative, and exciting than I had ever imagined. Through FESPA UK and its members, I discovered the incredible range of work that falls under the print, signage, and graphics umbrella. From banners displayed at Wembley Stadium, and retail storefronts to graphics used on film and television sets – the creativity and scale of the industry surprised me at every turn. That’s only scratching the surface of what our members produce every day. The Day to Day When I started at FESPA UK I was given the opportunity to complete a Level 3 apprenticeship in Content Creation which became the foundation of my journey within the association. In the beginning my role was focused primarily on creating LinkedIn content. As my knowledge and confidence grew I began learning about email marketing and membership engagement, eventually progressing to visiting members across England, Wales, and Scotland to better understand their businesses and the wider industry. From there I naturally became more involved in events and the work that goes on behind the scenes to make them successful. In many ways this feels like a full circle moment. Within my first few weeks at FESPA UK I was thrown in at the deep end while helping at one of our events then known as Making Connections Matter. At the time I was simply there to support and learn. Today I work alongside the rest of the team to help deliver major events such as our Annual Summit. One of the aspects of my role that I am most proud of is leading the FESPA UK Next Generation initiative. Through this I have been able to create opportunities for young professionals within the industry including taking committee members to events such as the FESPA Global Print Expo in Barcelona. These experiences allow them to network and learn from industry leaders and witness the scale and innovation of the print and graphics sector first hand. For many young people in the industry opportunities like this are incredibly valuable. Being able to travel abroad and attend a world class industry exhibition and gain the same experiences that many business owners and senior professionals benefit from, can be both inspiring and career defining. Seeing members of the Next Generation committee take advantage of these opportunities and grow in confidence is one of the most rewarding parts of my role. A day at work is rarely boring. One minute I could be in the office, working from home or out on the road – no two days are ever the same, especially when I am working alongside Suzi, Jon Hutton, and then add Sarah (Suzi’s mum), also known as ‘Granny’, into the mix – enough said. We really do feel like a small family. I know people often say you should not describe a workplace team in that way, but when you are a group of four running an association for the whole of the UK and spending so much time working and travelling together, it is hard not to feel that way. That sense of family does not stop there, it also extends to my mentor Sarah Lees from Compass Business Finance, as well as the entire FESPA UK board. They all support me to be the best version of myself in my working life and are consistently inspiring, always willing to offer guidance and help whenever I need it. 47 www.signlink.co.uk Issue 266 - August | September 2026 FRESH PERSPECTIVES | MOLLY JACKSON It is about young people speaking up and using our voices to bring awareness that you should take a chance on us
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