Printing Industries Association of Australia (Printing Industries) and IPMG have announced the acquisition of Intech Australia by the Association.
Intech Australia is IPMG’s training division and a Registered Training Organisation (RTO).
Printing Industries CEO Bill Healey said the purchase had been under negotiation for some months following the announced withdrawal by RMIT from apprentice training in Victoria.
“This is an integral component in building a workforce development strategy for the printing industry with an initial focus on Victoria because of the situation created by RMITs pending 2013 withdrawal from apprenticeship training,” he said.
“Intech will become a strategic asset for the industry with the scope of the programs it offers evolving over time to reflect the changing needs of printing businesses.
“This will allow us to provide accredited training around the country.”
General Manager of Intech, Gary Bender (pictured left) said the sale was an exciting development. It would build Intech’s enterprise focused operation into an industry specific and industry owned Registered Training Organisation.
“In recent years the national training landscape for the printing industry has been dramatically transformed by new technology and new skillset demands from employers,” he said.
“The acquisition of Intech will enable the industry to take greater control of its own future and develop its own industry-specific RTO with a co-ordinated approach to raising the standards of vocational education and training nationally.”
Mr Bender said that Intech was established in 1988 by Inprint to initially deliver a high technology training module for all print machining apprentices in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Northern New South Wales. It became an RTO in 2001 and expanded its role in the development and delivery of in-house training for apprentices, staff and clients of IPMG and the general printing industry.
“Since its inception, Intech has established and built a reputation as Australia's leading national registered and accredited private provider of education and training for the printing industry and was perfectly positioned to transition into industry ownership,” he said.
The Intech RTO will be managed by Joan Grace, former Chief Executive of PrintNZ the peak industry association for the New Zealand printing industry and former Chief Executive of the Communications and Media Industry Training Organisation (CMITO).
Over the past decade Ms Grace revolutionised training for the New Zealand industry and created a model that is the envy of organisations locally and internationally.
She said that negotiations were well advanced for arrangements to provide the Intech RTO with access to highly qualified trainers across Australia – including Victoria.
“We have also completed all the requirements with the Australian Skills Qualifications Authority (ASQA) accrediting body,” she said.
Printing Industries Association of Australia
www.printnet.com.au
