Pre-Press Technician Apprenticeship
Eight Group
NOTTINGHAM (NG8 4GP)
Closes in 23 days (Friday 20 June 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 23 May 2025
Contents
Summary
We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual to join our growing business. The production trainee will work closely with our experienced studio and print department to learn all aspects of pre-press, workflow and print production across our digital equipment.
- Wage
-
£14,722.50 to £23,809.50, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
We are a Living Wage Employer so this will be in line with rates based on age.
- Training course
- Print technician (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday, 8.00am - 4.00pm.
30 mins unpaid lunch break.
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Monday 30 June 2025
- Duration
-
2 years 2 months
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
This important role within our production team incorporates the following duties & targets:
- Produce and prepare artwork files for print, digital and other media formats
- Format and adjust design files to meet production specifications
- Operate and maintain advanced printing equipment to produce high-quality output and meet deadlines
- Conduct regular maintenance and repairs on printing presses
- Troubleshoot and resolve issues or defects
- Establish and maintain a good relationship with external press engineers
- Work closely with other departments, and studio colleagues to ensure customer orders are fulfilled to a high standard and on time
- Develop skills working with industry standard software such as Illustrator, photoshop, xmpie, Pitstop and Fiery
Where you'll work
UNIT 1
GLAISDALE POINT
GLAISDALE PARKWAY
NOTTINGHAM
NG8 4GP
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
College or training organisation
LEARN 2 PRINT LIMITED
Your training course
Print technician (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Apply environmental and sustainability procedures in compliance with regulations and standards for example, segregating resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
- Apply health and safety and manual handling procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
- Plan and prioritise work
- Record or enter information - paper based or electronic for example, work sheets, check lists, handover records, job sheets.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement.
- Follow equality, diversity and inclusion procedures.
- Communicate with others verbally including colleagues or stakeholders.
- Communicate in writing.
- Apply problem-solving techniques to common problems.
- Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
- Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks, with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
- Apply team working principles.
- Convert customer files to print-ready files using software and workflow packages.
- Check, process and transmit digital files using software.
- Create and edit digital images.
- Conversion of digital files into colour separations for the defined production method.
- Apply digital techniques to produce a proof.
- Apply colour profiles to the design.
- Apply production techniques to produce plates, screens, or output files.
- Apply pre-press quality assurance procedures.
- Set up and check the multi-unit print press, including speeds, inks and toners and pre-printing quality checks.
- Follow print press start up or warm up procedures.
- Apply print press operations and techniques, including managing colour. Handle variable data on digital presses.
- Follow quality control processes during printing, including checking for colour matching, print resolution, product consistency.
- Apply press equipment and machinery maintenance techniques including cleaning and servicing.
- Follow machine shut down, safe isolation, hand over procedures. Escalate issues.
- Apply press quality assurance procedures.
- Apply safe systems of work to the printing press process in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidelines. This should include identifying risks and hazards and the handling and disposal of chemicals.
- Set up finishing equipment for example, guillotines, stitching-trimming machinery, binding machinery, laminating equipment, die-cutters.
- Operate finishing equipment to apply different finishing processes, for example, varnishing, folding, embossing and debossing, foil blocking, scoring, packing, gluing, match and attach, tab and slot, sorting, banding.
- Prepare printing for next stage, including packing and wrapping.
- Apply post-press equipment maintenance techniques including cleaning and servicing.
- Apply post-press quality assurance procedures such as checking for folding accuracy, stitch alignment, foil position.
- Apply safe systems of work to the finishing process in compliance with regulations, standards and guidelines, including the handling and disposal of chemicals.
- Apply environmental and sustainability procedures in compliance with regulations and standards for example, segregating resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
- Apply health and safety and manual handling procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
- Plan and prioritise work
- Record or enter information - paper based or electronic for example, work sheets, check lists, handover records, job sheets.
- Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement.
- Follow equality, diversity and inclusion procedures.
- Communicate with others verbally including colleagues or stakeholders.
- Communicate in writing.
- Apply problem-solving techniques to common problems.
- Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
- Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks, with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
- Apply team working principles.
Your training plan
A full training plan will be created at the start of the Apprenticeship to provide information as to what you will be studying and when.
Learn2print will then deliver the underpinning theoretical knowledge for your Print Apprenticeship. You will attend a class each month for one full day at a local venue (this information will be provided on interview)
This teaching and training will cover everything from health and safety and general industrial practices to specific industry practices. This will lead you to preparation for your end point assessment, consisting of an online exam, professional discussion and observation in the workplace. You will be allocated a designated tutor and workplace mentor who will support and guide you through the apprenticeship.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade Grade C/4 or above)
- Maths (grade Grade C/4 or above)
Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
About this company
We're Eight Group. We’re a proud independent printer & marketing services company. We cover the full marketing mix from ideas to delivery from our production site. Based in Nottingham, UK operating internationally, working under the four sub-brands of ‘Eight Days’, ‘Eight Plus’, Eight Digital’, and ‘Eight Create’ to offer added value to customers through all channels.
After this apprenticeship
Once qualified promotion to Print Production Operative. Opportunity to develop further into the wider business.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
LEARN 2 PRINT LIMITED
Jeanette Vickers
jeanettevickers@learn2print.co.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000322403.
Apply now
Closes in 23 days (Friday 20 June 2025 at 11:59pm)
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