The 2019 Print Futures Awards, supporting workplace skills and routes into employment, are open for entries

The Printing Charity has launched its 2019 Print Futures Awards supporting workplace skills and routes into employment in the UK printing, paper, publishing, packaging, and graphic arts sector. 

Applications for grants of up to £1,500 are invited from UK residents aged 18 to 30 years, who:  

• are apprentices or studying for NVQs in UK print-related organisations
• are already working in UK print-related organisations and looking to develop their workplace skills
• are completing a recognised UK qualification and intending to take their first print-related role in the sector in 2019

Applicants will need to show a clear plan, including costings, of how the financial support will help develop their workplace skills or enhance their employability if they are starting out in the sector. 

The closing date for applications is midnight on 29 April 2019. For more information and to complete the application online, please see www.theprintingcharity.org.uk/print-futures-awards/

Neil Lovell, The Printing Charity’s Chief Executive, says:

“We will consider applications for things such as post education internships; relevant training courses; professional accreditation; and kit and equipment where applicants can demonstrate they are beneficial to their studies, training, and development.

“We know from the sector that attracting more young people to it is vitally important and these Awards respond to that call. We are asking businesses, particularly SMEs, to get behind this year’s Awards and encourage their eligible staff to apply. Awards, however, cannot be used to pay employers’ staff training costs.”

A panel of judges from across the sector will interview shortlisted applicants in London in early June and the winners will be presented with their Awards at a special event in London in July.

This year’s Print Futures Awards are sponsored by SAXOPRINT, The Book Trade Charity and Unite the Union GPM & IT Sector, and supported by the British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF), the Journalists’ Charity and St Bride Foundation.