Apprentice make ready operative

KINGFISHER LABELS LTD

BRISTOL (BS37 5NW)

Closes on Friday 27 November 2026

Posted on 22 October 2026

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Summary

Excellent opportunity to work for an established self adhesive label company based in the South West, with 30 years experience in printing and manufacturing self adhesive labels.  

Wage

£16,224 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

£75 company turnover bonus if the company reaches their monthly target, this is available after the 3 month probation period.

Training course
Print technician (level 3)
Hours
Office Hours: Monday – Thursday 8:00am to 4:30pm & Fridays 7:10am to 2:30pm

39 hours a week

Start date

Tuesday 1 December 2026

Duration

2 years 6 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

You will work in a busy factory environment with experienced members of staff.  Duties will include:

laying printing plates and  putting them away

getting inks and material ready for the operators

making ink to a delta reading of 2

keeping all areas tidy

helping all printers to be as efficient as possible.

Where you'll work

HAWKESWORTH HOUSE
HAWKESWORTH ROAD
YATE
BRISTOL
BS37 5NW

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

BPIF TRAINING LIMITED

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.

Training schedule

You will be enrolled onto a ‘Print Technician’ apprenticeship delivered by BPIF Training.

It is a 30 month Level 3 course and training will be work based at the Yate site with time allocated to complete coursework.  Learning will be delivered through a mixture of face to face and remote sessions.

You will be tutored by an experienced BPIF tutor with an end-point assessment at the end of the course.   

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4)
  • Maths (grade 4)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Initiative

About this employer

Since 1996, Kingfisher Labels has been doing something simple, but increasingly rare: we listen. Really listen. To what our customers need, what the market demands, and what innovation makes possible.

That philosophy has transformed us from a Bristol startup with a single 3-colour press into one of the UK's most trusted label manufacturers.

https://kingfisherlabels.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).

After successful completion of the L3 Print Technician apprenticeship, there will be the opportunity to become a full time flexo printer.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

BPIF TRAINING LIMITED

Matt Child

mattc@bpif.training

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000060318.

Apply now

Closes on Friday 27 November 2026