Insights into industry for London students

July 6, 2011 - PRLog -- Students from Bacon’s College in South London visited printing company Velmex recently, specialists in large and wide format printing, gaining practical experience of the industry. Design teacher Sam Nanor said his students had benefitted greatly from the opportunity to learn about and use modern printing techniques. “It was a great opportunity for our students to see commercial printing processes in progress. We do a lot of graphic design here at Bacon’s College but we output everything on laser printers – many of our students haven’t known or seen any other type of printer,” he said. Students learned about several aspects of the print industry and were given the opportunity to apply their new skills. “We showed the students the printers and how the technology works. They saw all the prints coming out and learned about how to use the software, how to edit photos and how to print their photos. In the second half of the day they started printing out posters they’d designed at school,” said Velmex Managing Director Mark Keeley.

The visit was organised to strengthen the relationship initially established through the PrintIT! twinning programme. An initiative led by Proskills, PrintIT! aims to encourage students to consider a career in the print industry; Mr Nanor believes it is important to heighten students awareness of the career opportunities open to them. “We try to guide the students through the various career paths on offer and the opportunities open to them. It’s good for them to see what they can do in the working world with the skills we are helping them develop - it encourages them to be interested in the print industry and reinforces the importance of their education,” he stressed. Bacon’s College specialises in digital media, so the print industry is one potential career path for students. “Many of the students are very interested in the print industry and the visit opened their eyes to the career opportunities out there, opportunities that they didn’t know about before going on the visit,” continued Mr Nanor.  
   
For further information on PrintIT! visit www.printit.org.uk or contact the PrintIT! Team at printit@proskills.co.uk or on 01235 432018

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About PrintIT!

Launched in 2005, PrintIT! is an industry-wide educational initiative which aims to encourage young people to consider a career in print and paper.  

As part of the curriculum-based PrintIT! course, students are challenged to create a print-based campaign.  Aiming to promote the many varied and stimulating career paths available within the print and paper industries, the PrintIT! competition was extended in 2008 to include Year 9 students (aged 13-14) as well as Year 10 students (aged 14-15) studying for their GCSEs in Product Design and Graphic Products.

PrintIT! is also relevant to the Diplomas in Creative and Media and Manufacturing and Product Design. PrintIT! is led by Proskills UK, the sector skills council representing the print and paper industries.

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Proskills UK is an employer-led organisation that represents the interests of the industries that make up the process and manufacturing sector to government.