Fresh Perspectives: How Do We Build the Future of Print and Signage?

Although I may not have a crystal ball in order to foresee the future of the industry, I do, however, have an abundance of knowledge regarding what it’s like to be a young person in the print and signage industries. This insight alongside my own invaluable experience has helped me come to the conclusion that the answer to: “How Do We Build the Future of Print and Signage?” is providing new staff with the freedom to pave their own paths.

Here, I want to share the steps that the team at Imageco and I have taken to help me grow.

Building the Next Generation

When I started at Imageco two years ago, I had absolutely no knowledge of the print or signage industries. I was literally blind to the amount of print that surrounded me in my day-to-day life.

My only motivation for choosing my role as an artworker was driven by my passion for art, which I had been studying at college. Despite this, from day one I was given the trust to pave my own learning journey. This alone has given me the space to flourish. Fast forward two and a half years; I’m working with some of my favourite brands, confident in my role, attended amazing events such as the FESPA Global Expo in Amsterdam, spoken on panels at iconic locations like Silverstone, and claimed three industry awards. I couldn’t have achieved any of this if Imageco had restricted my freedom when choosing my own learning journey.

My entry into the print and signage industries luckily coincided with the creation of FESPA’s Next Generation Committee, which I’d consider as the first step in my independent learning journey.
Being a part of the committee meant that I was able to excel in areas outside of my job role. I attended networking master classes, visited suppliers, and began to build a brilliant network of young people all within my first year in the industry. Would this have been the case if I had been told to stay in the office day in and day out? Definitely not.

Speaking about the Next Generation Committee, Jon Hutton, director at FESPA UK Associaton, says: “We have the privilege of working in the most vibrant sector of the print industry, which was in large part established by young professionals and entrepreneurs. As much as we don’t like to admit it, we now finding ourselves an aging bunch. This realisation is a reminder that the next generation is our future, and thankfully we’re in safe hands.

“The next generation operate throughout all areas of business with energy, imagination, and new perspectives, which is exactly why we need to recognise their skills and provide the equal opportunities to make our young people thrive.”

It’s All About the Journey

It was at a FESPA Next Generation event that I was first introduced to the Printing Charity’s Rising Star Awards, another fantastic opportunity for young people. After winning an award last year the opportunities and support that I have received have been boundless, not to mention the training courses I have been fortunate enough to attend as a result.

You’ll struggle to find an establishment that cares more deeply about the future of our industry, whilst displaying such strong kindness and compassion to the individuals in it.

The UK print industry, and the sectors associated with it, show consistent and impressive innovation and resilience, dealing with the challenges and opportunities presented by factors including changing technology, the advent of AI, industry perception, and sustainability alongside navigating uncertain economic times. The print and signage industries also offer a diverse and exciting range of business areas to suit all types of people, ranging from operations, production and logistics to finance, marketing, research and development, and much more.

To keep up with the changing landscape businesses need a diverse workforce with different perspectives, ideas and motivation. It is important to provide the next generation of people building a career in our industry with equal opportunities to join, progress, develop, and contribute in order to give businesses the best chance to tap into these different perspectives, grow with evolving technology, and thrive.

I am lucky enough to head up The Careers and Development Programme at The Printing Charity. The centrepiece of this programme is the annual Rising Star Awards which is an equal opportunity for anyone aged 18 to 30 working in any role in any business within the sectors the charity supports. Entrants can win up to £1,500 towards their personal training and development.

It’s clear to see the freedom that I have been provided has allowed me to be able to solidify my place within the industry, which I believe is the end goal that all employers should have in mind when taking on staff new to the industry

Sam Nelson, senior relationship manager at The Printing Charity, says: “Along with the funding, the Awards process helps young people concentrate on their training and development. We encourage them to both think about what skills they need to build and how they best learn, providing them with an equal opportunity to access learning that suits them and will help them thrive.”

It’s clear to see the freedom that I have been provided has allowed me to be able to solidify my place within the industry, which I believe is the end goal that all employers should have in mind when taking on staff new to the industry.

Most importantly, it should be noted that everyone’s idea of a learning journey looks different. For some, the way I’ve gone about progressing maybe totally irrelevant, which is why the freedom to choose is so important.

So, how do we build the future of print and signage? I think we do it by allowing our workforce the freedom to choose their own learning journey, by trusting them to find learning that works for them and then engages them so that they want to be part of the future of print and signage. It’s an approach that has worked for me, and I’m sure it can work for you too.