The printing industry employs over 160,000 people in the UK, mainly in companies with new entrants may be recruited to the title of 'production assistant' or 'print trainee', and would initially be expected to learn about all aspects of printing and production. These include production, estimating, preparation of texts, finishing processes, dispatch and sales. Experience is gained through specific projects eg estimating costs of a job, calculating printing schedules and preparing layout and texts for specific jobs. Supervision and support would come via the print manager. Some large employers eg local authorities and large manufacturing companies have their own print departments.
Most companies outsource their printing needs to small print companies.
The main problem facing someone wishing to start their own business is capital. With advances in technology it is very difficult to keep up to date. Training Training will vary from employer to employer depending on size and specialism of company. After initial training excellent opportunities exist for progression to general management posts or specialisation in aspects such as pre-press, production control, estimating, sales, marketing etc. The salary data was collected in Feb 00 Salaries vary widely depending on the size, specialism and market sector of the employer.