Feedback from the recent Future Print Apprentice Forum in Melbourne has confirmed the project's strategy and direction.
Printing Industries CEO Bill Healey said the aim of the federally-funded Future Print Apprenticeship Project had always been to design a sustainable form of vocational training for the industry and, with a new competency-based system now well into its pilot phase, it was time to see how it was working ‘at the coalface’ via the apprentices.
He said the project, a joint venture initiative between Printing Industries and the AMWU for the past two years, finishes at the end of 2015.
"Some 230 apprentices are now involved in the competency-based training system, many well on their way to achieving their qualifications," Mr Healey said.
“We know that the print and graphic communication sector is experiencing unprecedented change, and that the pace of change is, if anything, likely to accelerate rather than stabilise.
"The challenge for us as an industry is to continue to attract, inspire, train and mentor people to take their place in the industry, even as that change is happening all around us.”
Mr Healey said the first challenge for the industry is to attract new people, a goal confirmed by the apprentices all of whom entered their current role through family or friends and not through advice from schools or careers advisors.
“Clearly, promoting print and graphic communications as the dynamic and exciting industry that it is, is an area where we still have a long way to go. But we have already seen great improvements through the establishment of this project, which has launched a number of communication and support activities for employers and job seekers via website resources, social media and direct contact with schools, businesses and other key stakeholders,” he said.
Mr Healey said young people unwilling to commit to a set four-year ‘traditional’ apprenticeship and both trainees and employers were keen to explore alternatives to the off-site study blocks which left businesses short-handed and was particularly challenging for students from regional and rural areas.
He said the new training model was designed to be largely delivered on-site, making use of new technologies and an improved structure and partnering Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) with employers and supervisors to assess the achievement of set competencies ‘on the go’.
'Feedback from our Apprenticeship Forum tells us is that, by and large, we got it right,” Mr Healey said.
"This is particularly so with competency based training where apprentices are rewarded for hard work and dedication by being able to advance in their training.
"They enjoy pay progression as they reach each competency level at their own pace and this has greatly increased motivation and satisfaction.
“The roles of the Future Print advisers in providing support to the apprentices and their employers and the work we continue to do with RTOs and employer organisations to increase the level of support offered, was highlighted as being of key importance and while most apprentices are satisfied, it’s probably an area where things need to improve even more.
“With mentors and supervisors identified as having a very large influence over the apprentice’s progress and their job satisfaction, the Future Print Mentoring Program we ran earlier, as well as the recently introduced Future Print Supervisor Training Courses, are clearly going to contribute positively to the ongoing success of industry training.”
Mr Healey said the most encouraging feedback from students was that they were keen to adopt digital and other new technologies to help meet what they believe is a growing, but changing, demand from clients.
“The apprentices who were involved in the Forum agreed that they could see a bright future ahead in the industry, and were keen to be part of it,” he said.
“In fact, a number said that they not only wanted to progress in their trade, but also to build a wider career in the industry, working both here and overseas, and ultimately to own their own business.
“Although they fully recognised that they will need to be flexible in their approach and be willing to adapt and add new skills as the industry continues to change, they showed a keen appreciation of the challenges ahead and a real enthusiasm for meeting them. That, perhaps, is the most pleasing piece of feedback of all," Mr Healey said.
Future Print
