Ron Jackson, who is spear heading the meeting says he has contacted four shadow ministers and the Department of education, training and arts with no positive feedback forthcoming.

Jackson says, “The meeting this week is being held to work out where it all goes. I would love to think that they come up with a really great idea and improve print training or at least return to the fantastic programme we had 10 years ago. But I am not confident without a dedicated site and a TAFE that does not support Cert 2 and 3 Trade type courses.”

Wednesday’s committee will include Neal McLary, Susan Heaney, Sam Nicolosi and Malcolm Buckner from Printing Industries, Craig Sherrin from Southbank Institute, Danny Dougherty from the Australian Workers’ Union and Danny Hooley a current teacher at the school.

The South Bank Institute, of which the School of Printing is part, has already told half the remaining 12 staff at the School that their jobs have gone, with the remaining six teachers looking at a peripatetic role visiting students in their places of employment for assessment.

The Brisbane School pf Printing is more than 80 years old, and for all that time has been the primary source of print training for Queensland, Northern Territory and northern NSW. It currently has more than 200 students on its books studying Certificate II and III courses.

Students come to the School for four week blocks over a four year period of their apprenticeship. It has four departments; prepress, machine printing, screen and sign, and bindery.

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