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- Use photocopiers and printers to make documents and brochures
- You'll need a methodical and well organised approach to work
- You could progress to departmental supervisor or production controller
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Copying and binding printed materials
- Discussing the job requirements with the customer
- Helping prepare designs and layouts for print runs
- Working out timescales, costs and the number of copies required
- Programming instructions into the copying equipment
- Making sure machines have suitable levels of inks, chemicals and toners
- Supplying print materials to the machines
- Mounting printing plates or cylinders, if working on a press
- Lining them up correctly
- Monitoring the progress of the copying run and quality checking samples
- Finishing copied items, by trimming, binding or laminating
- Performing basic equipment maintenance and cleaning
- Administrative tasks like recording job details and ordering supplies
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You could work in an office or in a workshop. If you work in a print shop, you may also work Saturdays. You may need to do some lifting and stand for long periods.
You'll need
This role would be ideal for someone with a methodical and well organised approach to work, the ability to follow job instructions, the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines, IT and administration skills, and customer care skills.
There are no set requirements, but GCSEs in maths, English, art and design, and IT can help.
You could also take a college course in a Level 2 Award in Printing and Graphic Communications or Level 3 Certificate in Printing and Graphic Communications to learn some of the skills you'll need.
Experience using desktop publishing software like InDesign or QuarkXpress can also help. It will also help you if you've had any other roles where you've used printers and other business machinery.
You can get into this job through an intermediate apprenticeship in reprographics.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could progress to departmental supervisor or production controller. In a print shop, you could become a shop manager.