Printing Industries is encouraging printers to employ apprentices, the call comes as apprentice mentors and advisors hit the road around Australia looking to attract a new generation of young people into industry careers.
Printing Industries is behind the project which has teams of people under its new $1.4m government funded Apprenticeship Mentors and Advisors program giving the industry a presence at school careers expos looking for new talent and providing support for existing apprentices to complete their training.
Ian Walz, national print manager, Printing Industries says, “In recent times we have tended to lose sight of the need to keep attracting young people into our industry and have backed away from a commitment to training.”
Walz believes now is the time to make changes with on the ground support being provided by Printing Industries to turn around institutional attitudes towards the industry and engage with students, parents and employers.
He says, “A major part of this is finding companies who we can talk to explaining why they should employ an apprentice, how to do it and the many benefits including financial incentives, currently available.”
During the past few weeks Printing Industries mentors and advisors attended careers expos in Perth, Brisbane and Western Sydney and participated in the World Skills and Career Expo at Homebush, NSW.
“We also have a stand at the PrintCom Expo next week at Sydney’s Darling Harbour Exhibition Centre and want to attract both young people and company managers to turn their interest into opportunity.”
Walz says it’s important from an industry perspective to find companies willing to at least find out the benefits of employing an apprentice and how they can do it and what it can mean to their business.
Investing in the futures, bringing new energy into a company, receiving financial incentives and partnering with the Printing Industries Association of Australia to ensure the required skills for the industry are fostered are just some of the benefits.
Andrew Tribute
