Latest BPIF Apprenticeship Standard approved

The British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF) along with a consortium of companies has received final approval for its Level 3 Print Technician Standard.

Approved by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) the latest accomplishment is a big milestone in ensuring the validity and availability of modern apprenticeship programmes. 

The revised standard broadens the scope of learning and skills development with key changes including the addition of duties, increase in the number of Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours (KSBs), and a more rigorous assessment plan.

The process of approval involved a long period of negotiations with IfATE to ensure employers’ needs were met and future skills were addressed.

The industry consortium included businesses such as De La Rue, Westrock-MPS, CDS, Unite the Union, Ryedale Group, Page Bros Group, The Printing Charity, Graphic Packaging International, and Label Apeel. 

James Buffoni from Ryedale Group, who led the consortium, says: “Skills and attracting new people into the industry is a perennial challenge, modern Apprenticeship Standards are important both to ensure employers have the skills for the future and to ensure our sector is an attractive career choice.”

The consortium and BPIF also had to ensure the Government understood the needs of print and packaging’s future, avoiding the Government’s overall pressure to unify the apprenticeships into generic machine operations of manufacturing.  

The Print Technician standard gives the options of specialising in pre-press, press, or finishing, which will support print sectors such as magazines, newspaper, packaging, personal gifting, and security products.

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