Visit the Konica Minolta Business Solutions UK web site

BPIF Lobbies Top MP Over Print Industry Training

A British Printing Industries Federation product story

Edited by the Printingtalk editorial team Mar 7, 2006

Chatham-based Kent Art Printers has hosted its local MP Jonathan Shaw on a visit to the company, which was also attended by the British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF).

Chatham-based Kent Art Printers has hosted its local MP Jonathan Shaw on a visit to the company, which was also attended by the British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF) public affairs officer Lizzy Hawkins.

Also attending was the BPIF training co-ordinator, John Campey.

Shaw is Parliamentary Private Secretary to Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Education and Skills, as well as being a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Print Group, the cross-party group of MPs with an interest in the printing industry.

The BPIF took the opportunity to inform the MP about the continuing decline in print training provision caused by inadequate funding levels.

Shaw's links with the printing industry stem from his involvement with the GPMU in paper companies within his constituency of Chatham and Aylesford.

The discussion raised a number of industry concerns about training, such as the reduced funding for apprenticeships for over 19 year-olds, and companies' resentment at having to plug basic skills gaps left by inadequate schooling.

The meeting also told the positive stories about training in the printing industry.

They included the PrintIT! project that has introduced over 20,000 students from 500 schools to the printing industry, as well as BPIF Training's success in increasing the number of apprenticeships completed to far above the national average.

Lizzy Hawkins was pleased with the meeting's progress and commented: "I am delighted that an MP with such close links to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills is taking an interest in the printing industry at such a crucial time for print training.

We will continue to lobby for improvements to the funding arrangements for print training to reflect the true cost of provision, and I hope that Jonathan Shaw will be supportive of our efforts.