Apprentice Print Finisher

Summary

Kick-start your career with Prontaprint Chiswick! Join our friendly, family-run team and let your creative juices flow! Enjoy variety and flexibility as you gain hands-on experience in customer service, sales, design and print production. We offer training, ongoing support and exciting opportunities to grow across our 3 London branches.

Wage

£14,976 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Bonus available - discretion of the owner.

Training course

Print operative (level 2)

Hours

Monday to Friday - 9am - 5.30pm.

36 hours a week

Start date

Monday 4 January 2027

Duration

2 years

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

Day to day duties will include:

• Handling customer enquiries via phone, email and in person
• Preparing quotations and processing orders
• Assisting with printing, cutting, finishing and packaging
• Supporting sales, marketing and social media
• Learning design software and print production processes
• Managing administrative tasks and customer relationships
• Photocopying & scanning
• Content creation for social media

Where you'll work

46 Chiswick High Road
London
W4 1SZ

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 operative (level 2)

What you'll learn

• Read, interpret and follow information, for example, printing instructions and specifications
• Inspect work against specifications and quality standards, for example, works instructions, colour standard, materials or files received
• Record information: digital or manual
• Follow health and safety regulations, legislation and procedures: PPE, manual handling and ergonomic practice
• Follow environmental and sustainability regulations and procedures
• Communicate with colleagues: written, verbal or digital. For example, using digital tools such as email, Information technology (IT) telephony, social media, multi-media, video, infographics
• Implement solutions as developed by management or supervisors
• Identify and report production issues. For example, missing fonts, incorrect materials supplied, wrong adhesive indicated
• Option 1: Pre-Press Operative. Select and use software packages for pre-press, design or workflow tasks. For example, MS Office or equivalent, pdf workflow such as ‘Screen True-flow’, ‘Adobe InDesign’, ‘Adobe Illustrator’ and ERP system such as ‘Tharstern’
• Option 1: Pre-Press Operative. Select, check and use equipment for the production of a printed or digital ‘proof’
• Option 1: Pre-Press Operative. Calibrate proof production equipment
• Option 1: Pre-Press Operative. Select, check and use equipment for the production of plates, screens, output files and materials
• Option 2: Press Operative. Identify and set up printing presses
• Option 2: Press Operative. Conduct and log first line preventative maintenance. For example, clean and lubricate printing equipment
• Option 2: Press Operative. Inspect the quality of print output during production run. For example, colour management, print resolution and product consistency
• Option 2: Press Operative. Follow print press shut down procedures
• Option 2: Press Operative and Option 3: Post-Press Operative. Prepare print material for the next stage in production. For example, palletising; ensuring all material laid in the same direction, boxing, labelling
• Option 2: Press Operative and Option 3: Post-Press Operative. Identify and segregate printed materials into those for use in the next stage of production and those for recycling or disposal
• Option 3: Post-Press Operative. Identify, set up and load finishing equipment with materials. For example, guillotines, stitching-trimming machinery, binding machinery, laminating equipment, die-cutters
• Option 3: Post-Press Operative. Conduct and log first line preventative maintenance. For example, clean and lubricate Post Press finishing equipment
• Option 3: Post-Press Operative. Inspect the quality of the finishing and report any issues arising during the process. For example, misalignment or gathering
• Read, interpret and follow information, for example, printing instructions and specifications
• Inspect work against specifications and quality standards, for example, works instructions, colour standard, materials or files received
• Record information: digital or manual
• Follow health and safety regulations, legislation and procedures: PPE, manual handling and ergonomic practice
• Follow environmental and sustainability regulations and procedures
• Communicate with colleagues: written, verbal or digital. For example, using digital tools such as email, Information technology (IT) telephony, social media, multi-media, video, infographics
• Implement solutions as developed by management or supervisors
• Identify and report production issues. For example, missing fonts, incorrect materials supplied, wrong adhesive indicated

Training schedule

You will receive on the job training and experience - ability to work between 3 of our branches, whilst predominately based at the Chiswick branch.

You will also be supported by a BPIF tutor via a combination of remote and face to face learning at our Chiswick site.

Requirements

Essential 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
• IT skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Customer care skills
• Problem solving skills
• Administrative skills
• Logical
• Team working
• Creative
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience
• Physical fitness
• Willingness to learn
• Reliability & punctuality
• Time management

Other requirements

This role may have you getting involved with installing signs (external & internal).

There is pay and display off street parking.