The Job and What's Involved

Screen printers set up and operate power-driven or hand-operated screen printing machines to create visual images. Screen printing is used for printing onto fabrics (for example t-shirts), paper (posters), CDs, printed circuit boards or display signs by forcing ink through a fine mesh overlaid with the stencil design. The mesh was originally silk (hence the traditional name of silk screen printing), but is now often man-made.

Screen printers may:

• Prepare stencils for printing by hand cutting, photographic or electronic methods.
• Put the stencils onto a mesh fabric-printing screen and operate the printing machine.
• Choose, mix and match coloured inks and load ink into printing machines.
• Paper, fabric, plastic or other material onto the printing machines, making sure that objects to be printed are lined up correctly and, if there is more than one colour, that the colours are properly aligned.
• Control machines and check the quality of printing.
• Unload printed items from drying racks and stack them.
• Dry the printed items by loading them into drying racks or dryers, using hot air or ultraviolet light.
• Keep records of the work.
• Remove waste, clean and maintain machines.
• Maintain and care for equipment including camera lenses, screens, stops and filters.

Screen printers usually work 37 to 40 hours a week, sometimes operating on a shift system, which may include nights. Overtime is frequently required - often at short notice - in order to meet tight deadlines. Part-time jobs may be available.

The workplace might be noisy, depending on the age and type of machinery, and there may be some fumes from the chemicals and solvents used, though, there is usually good ventilation to clear the fumes from the inks and solvents. The work can also be messy because of the inks used.

Screen printers may have to stand up for an entire shift, and require good upper body strength to be able to lift large screens and quantities of paper.

Protective clothing and equipment might be required.

Despite competition from electronic media and the internet, printing is still one of the UK's largest industries, employing around 185,000 people. Screen printers may work for printing companies, sign-writing companies (making signs for vehicles, for example), textile companies (that produce items including t-shirts, corporate work wear and promotional items), High Street print/design firms and producers of display items.

Printing work is mainly concentrated in London, the South East, Yorkshire and the South West. Small, local companies can be found throughout the UK, although modern machinery has resulted in fewer jobs for printers than in the past.

Vacancies may be advertised in the local and national press, on websites such as www.printingjobvacancies.co.uk and in trade magazines such as Print Week.

Education and Training

Entry is possible without formal qualifications, but most employers ask for some GCSE's/S grades (A-D/1-4), preferably including English and maths, or equivalent qualifications.

There are various relevant full-time courses offered at colleges across the UK, such as the ABC (part of the City & Guilds group) Award/Certificate/Diploma in Print Production, which covers lithographic, screen printing and finishing.

Part-time day and block courses are also available for trainees, which lead to nationally recognised qualifications such as the City & Guilds Certificate in Printing and Graphic Communications (5261 Technical Certificate). This covers all the main print processes - flexography, screen printing, lithography, gravure and digital.

The Edexcel (BTEC) First Diploma in Printing takes one year to complete and includes modules covering design, computer-aided design and digital imaging, printing processes and information technology. Entry requirements for this course can vary; some colleges do not require formal qualifications.

In Scotland, the National Certificate in Printing, offered at Glasgow Metropolitan College, has no specific entry requirements. This takes three years to complete on a part-time basis.

Broader art and design courses may offer options in some printing methods, such as screen printing. Check with local colleges for details.

Apprenticeships which may be available in England are Young Apprenticeships, Pre-Apprenticeships, Apprenticeships and Advanced Apprenticeships. To find out which one is most appropriate log onto www.apprenticeships.org.uk or contact your local Connexions Partnership.

There are different arrangements for Apprenticeships in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. For further information contact Careers Scotland www.careers-scotland.org.uk, Careers Wales www.careerswales.com; and for Northern Ireland contact COIU www.delni.gov.uk.

It is important to bear in mind that pay rates for Apprenticeships do vary from area to area and between industry sectors.

The Print Education & Training Forum website contains careers information and a course-finder facility. The British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF) and Get into Print websites also have details about careers in printing, in addition to information on training providers. For additional contacts and web site links see 'Get Further Information'.

Adult Entry

Adult entry is possible. Adults may be accepted onto courses without the usual entry requirements, particularly if they have relevant experience.

Training

New entrants work alongside experienced colleagues. Companies usually provide in-house training, as it is important for screen printers to keep their skills up to date. They may send their employees on courses run by the manufacturers of the printing machinery they use.

The Digital & Screen Printing Association runs an online screen printing training course. Leeds College of Technology, through their suite of Print Media On Line Courses, offer the facilities for experienced printers to gain nationally recognised qualifications with the support of tutors.

NVQ/SVQ Levels 2 and 3 in Screen Printing are available, as well as in general printing. These contain a mandatory health and safety unit and optional pathways in general printing or newspapers and periodicals.

Personal Qualities

A screen printer should:

• Be able to work on their own with minimal supervision.
• Be observant, with a good eye for detail.
• Be self-motivated and organised.
• Be able to undertake practical and manual work.
• Be prepared to work with machinery.
• Be able to solve technical problems quickly and efficiently.
• Be able to carry out routine jobs quickly.
• Be patient, alert and observant.
• Have good sight, hearing, hand-to-eye co-ordination and normal colour vision.
• Be prepared to keep up with developments in the industry.

Prospects

Once trained and experienced on different types of printing presses, screen printers may be promoted to supervisory roles, such as team leader. Eventually, it may be possible to become a production manager. Sometimes printers move into other areas, such as sales.

It is possible to become self-employed and set up a business, although the cost of printing machinery can make this difficult.

Get Further Information

British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF), Farringdon Point, 29-35 Farringdon Road,
London EC1M 3JF  Tel: 0870 240 4085  Website: www.britishprint.com

Digital & Screen Printing Association, Association House, 7A West Street, Reigate,
Surrey RH2 9BL  Website: www.spauk.co.uk

Get into Print. Website: www.getintoprint.org

Glasgow Metropolitan College, 60 North Hanover Street, Glasgow G1 2BP
Tel: 0141 566 6222  Website: www.gcbp.ac.uk

Institute of Paper, Printing and Publishing (IP3), 83 Guildford Street, Chertsey,
Surrey KT16 9AS  Tel: 0870 330 8625  Website: www.ip3.org.uk

Leeds College of Technology, Print Media Skills Centre, Cookridge Street,
Leeds LS2 8BL  Tel: 0113 297 6300  Website: www.printcollege.co.uk

London College of Communication, Elephant and Castle, London SE1 6SB
Tel: 020 7514 6500  Website: www.lcc.arts.ac.uk

MORE Training, Clive Street, Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST6 6DA
Tel: 01782 835327  Website: www.moretrain.co.uk

Print Education & Training Forum, 962 Alum Rock Road, Ward End, Birmingham B8 2NS
Tel: 0121 789 5100  Website: www.petf.org.uk

Proskills UK, Centurion Court, 85B Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RY
Tel: 01235 833844  Website: www.proskills.co.uk

Scottish Print Employers' Federation, 48 Palmerston Place, Edinburgh EH12 5DE
Tel: 0131 220 4353  Website: www.spef.org.uk

 

Careers information and vocational qualifications change rapidly. The information in this career note was accurate at the time of going to print, but readers should check it with professional bodies or careers advisers before making decisions.