According to recent industry reports the printing industry is suffering badly with the number of skilled printer apprentices dropping dramatically*, and employers finding it increasingly difficult to fill vacancies from printers to binder operators.

Mark Bagshaw, Australian Disability Training Advisory Council (ADTAC) co-chair and manager of IBM Australia/NZ’s Accessibility Centre said employers in the printing industry who consider hiring people with a disability, can open the door to an additional workforce of up to 750,000 people. He says, “More than 1.5 million working age Australians with a disability can work, but less than half of them get jobs after completing their courses compared to almost three quarters of all VET graduates..

“At the same time, the Australian printing industry – which has enormous employment potential – is facing skill shortages in every state and territory,” Bagshaw said.

Tony Scanlon, managing director of leading Queensland print solutions company Scanlon Printing says one of its key priorities is to provide apprentices and trainees with the ultimate training environment. Scanlon says, “Skills shortages currently experienced in our industry are a direct result of the industry’s own ignorance to the value of training apprentices.

“We’ve worked hard with the Queensland School of Printing and Graphic Arts to ensure our trainees and apprentices not only learn the tools of the trade but also develop a true passion for the craft. Our unique training program with QSPGA – ‘Bridging the Gap’ – aims to bolster industry stocks of trained people and provide local students the chance to have solid career opportunities in the printing industry.

“We’d welcome the opportunity to employ a skilled person with a disability as we believe our working environment would provide a safe and rewarding career path”, he saud

Employers seeking information on hiring people with a disability can use the website www.jobable.gov.au s an information resource. A revised Blueprint for Bridging Pathways – the Australian vocational education and training (VET) system’s five-year national strategy to improve opportunities for people with a disability – was released in December 2004.

For information and copies of Bridging Pathways’ revised blueprint, contact Julie Mackey at ADTAC.
Ph: (03) 9830 9865, email: adtac@anta.gov.au or download from www.anta.gov.au/vetADTAC.asp.

ADTAC is an advisory committee to the Australian National Training Authority Board. ADTAC’s mission is to create a shared commitment to improve training and employment opportunities for people with a disability through vocational education and training (VET).

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