Momentum for vocational education and training in the printing industry builds on the groundwork laid by Printing Industries Association of Australia (PIAA).

Skills Tasmania has endorsed Holmesglen Institute as the Registered Training Organisation providing print training in Tasmania, following the announcement by TAFE SA that they will withdraw from the state.

The inaugural Printers Convention hosted by PIAA in December 2017 featured the training crisis in Tasmania, and PIAA threw support behind Holmesglen Institute, issuing pro forma letters to all printers in the State to express their support of Holmesglen Institute’s application to Skills Tasmania.

Robert Black of Holmesglen Institute says, “The ability for Holmesglen Institute to deliver apprenticeship training in Tasmania is a fantastic result for Tasmania printers. They now have a public TAFE provider with on and off training capacity for apprentices, as well as the support of fully qualified trainers.”

“This initiative has been months coming together and could not have been made possible without the absolute support of the PIAA, not only with the recent Tasmania forum but with the on-going lobbying of the key stakeholders”, Black says.

Holmesglen Institute will be providing the Certificate III in Printing and Certificate III in Print Manufacturing under the agreement, extending their service from Victoria into Tasmania.

Andrew Macaulay, CEO of PIAA says, “Vocational Education and Training is in disarray in Australia, and printers have fewer viable means to attract, train and retain young people to the industry. Developing new people into printing is vital for a thriving sustainable industry, and we are thrilled that our continued emphasis in this area is producing results, albeit with a long road still ahead of us”.

“Our next area of focus will be South Australia, where we will be rallying industry to participate in the process of endorsing Holmesglen Institute to extend their training to the state”.

Tasmania board representative at PIAA, Peter Clark says, “this is fantastic news for the printing industry in Tasmania. We were at real risk of losing access to a vital training programme and I am thrilled that PIAA was able to orchestrate the successful outcome for industry”.