A government-funded initiative to help develop print-related businesses and people in Australia is open for business with the launch of an updated website.

The FuturePrint programme – backed by Printing Industries and the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union – has signed more than 60 businesses pledging to employ or upskill nearly 200 workers. With “more than a dozen” apprentices starting training, and 500 expressions of interest in response to advertising on employment website SEEK, organisers expect the programme to meet its targeted intake of 120+ apprentices by mid year.

The updated website at www.futureprint.org.au promotes opportunities in graphic communications sector via a jobs board and apprenticeship matching service.

PIAA general manager for innovation, training and employment Joan Grace, who left New Zealand’s Print NZ employers’ association and the Media Industry Training Organisation for the role last year, says these are the first real ‘on the ground’ results for the project: “Now that the programme is really starting to gain momentum, it’s a great time to remind businesses across the whole graphic communications sector that the aims of FuturePrint are very simple and very exciting – to give businesses practical tools and support as they plan and equip for the future, and to find the right people with the right skills to help them get there,” she says.

“Working with industry, unions, governments and RTOs is a long and complex process, but the really important work starts when all that is in place – and that’s delivering real benefits to the business down the road, or the employee who needs to upskill or reskill, or the young person who sees that they can have a rewarding career in our industry using new technologies.”

Grace says the project has already started to demonstrate its worth to participants: “The structure is in place, the website is operational, the training is already happening – now we just want more businesses to benefit,” she says.