Although I may not have a crystal ball in order to foresee the future of the industry, I do, however, have an abundance of knowledge regarding what it’s like to be a young person in the print and signage industries. This insight alongside my own invaluable experience has helped me come to the conclusion that the answer to: “How Do We Build the Future of Print and Signage?” is providing new staff with the freedom to pave their own paths. Here, I want to share the steps that the team at Imageco and I have taken to help me grow. Building the Next Generation When I started at Imageco two years ago, I had absolutely no knowledge of the print or signage industries. I was literally blind to the amount of print that surrounded me in my day-to-day life. My only motivation for choosing my role as an artworker was driven by my passion for art, which I had been studying at college. Despite this, from day one I was given the trust to pave my own learning journey. This alone has given me the space to flourish. Fast forward two and a half years; I’m working with some of my favourite brands, confident in my role, attended amazing events such as the FESPA Global Expo in Amsterdam, spoken on panels at iconic locations like Silverstone, and claimed three industry awards. I couldn’t have achieved any of this if Imageco had restricted my freedom when choosing my own learning journey. My entry into the print and signage industries luckily coincided with the creation of FESPA’s Next Generation Committee, which I’d consider as the first step in my independent learning journey. Being a part of the committee meant that I was able to excel in areas outside of my job role. I attended networking master classes, visited suppliers, and began to build a brilliant network of young people all within my first year in the industry. Would this have been the case if I had been told to stay in the office day in and day out? Definitely not. Speaking about the Next Generation Committee, Jon Hutton, director at FESPA UK Associaton, says: “We have the privilege of working in the most vibrant sector of the print industry, which was in large part established by young professionals and entrepreneurs. As much as we don’t like to admit it, we now finding ourselves an aging bunch. This realisation is a reminder that the next generation is our Isabel Shanahan, artworker at Imageco, reflects on her experience in the industry to ask what needs to be done to keep attracting young people How Do We Build the Future of Print and Signage? 36 email: editor@signlink.co.uk Issue 259 - June / July 2025 ▲ Isabel Shanahan on the Imageco stand at this year’s VM and Display Show FRESH PERSPECTIVES / ISABEL SHANAHAN
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