The Independent Print Industry Association (IPIA) has released data on the number of youngsters it has helped into print since becoming a gateway for its members to benefit from the Government’s Kickstart scheme last year. Over 80% of the 16-24 year-olds who took part are now in permanent positions.
The IPIA – which helped shape the way the Kickstart programme was administered in the industry – helped place 33 young people with 25 members. More than 80% of them have permanent positions in the printing sector.
“Our industry has a skilled but ageing workforce and often struggles to recruit young people at a roots level. Through Kickstart, we feel very proud to have not just contributed tangibly to the sector but also helped transform the lives of some bright young people who otherwise were facing long term unemployment,” said Brendan Perring, IPIA general manager.
The IPIA itself created two Kickstart roles, taken up by Kaci Cole and Bidhya Rai, who are being trained in graphic design and having their eyes opened to the scope of print. Cole describes the sector as ‘flamboyant and exciting and a lot bigger than she first thought’. Both she and Rai agree that their time with the IPIA is giving them confidence, and a supportive and understanding environment in which to progress their skills. “It’s been a very good overall experience for me, and I feel lucky to have found such a good organisation,” said Rai.
Lucy Swanston created a marketing assistant role for a Kickstarter at her agency Nutshell Creative. She said: “I feel very passionate about getting young people into our industry and upskilling them and think the IPIA did an amazing thing acting as a collective gateway to enable small businesses like mine to benefit from this national initiative; we couldn’t have done it without them.”
Dan Bristow, director of Clear As Day echoed Swanston’s thoughts, and pointed out that it helped him to grow the company when times were hard during the pandemic. He said it’s also proved a good opportunity for Hugo Mercer, who started at the firm in April 2021 and who is now permanent, and also for George Bennett, who was still on his six-month Kickstart placement.
Stockport-based IPIA member, Spectrum Print and Plastics, signed up to the scheme in Spring 2021 with Michael and Daryl Dalrymple-Owen. Managing director Kath Doran said: “It’s overall been a good thing. Our Jobcentre was marvellous at vetting candidates and full marks to Brendan and the IPIA for shielding us from some of the administrative challenges of being an early adopter.”
IPIA member Lance Hill, managing director of Eight Days a Week Print Solutions (EDWPS) initially proposed the idea of an IPIA Kickstarter consortium. When the scheme came out, his firm was getting busier and it seemed the perfect opportunity to give someone the chance to come off universal credit. He said the company struck gold in the two individuals – Callum Draycott and Sam Riley – taken on in April 2021. “Kickstart was one of the few positive things to come out of Covid. It was always my intention to create a career path for a young person and we’ve done it for two people. At interview, both lads saw print as a dull and dying media form but now see it as slick and clever, using data and technology to drive customer communications.”
