Apprentice Pre-Press Technician

Summary

Due to continued business growth and expansion, we are looking to recruit a Pre-Press Technician to join our creative team at Involution. This is an exciting opportunity for a recent college graduate or someone starting their career in design, with training provided to develop skills customer proofs, print setup, and digital creative assets.

Wage

£16,432 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Salary: £16,432 - £18,000 (dependent on experience)

Adhoc financial rewards through the business i.e new customer referral & bonuses at the discretion of the employer.

Training course

Print technician (level 3)

Hours

Monday- Thursday 8:00am- 4:30pm Friday 8:00am- 4:00pm We offer some flexibility around start and finish times, provided the full day shift is completed. Final arrangements can be agreed with the employer to support a healthy work life balance.

39 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 1 June 2026

Duration

2 years 6 months

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

You will support the creative team by primarily preparing accurate customer proofs quickly and efficiently, ensuring they meet customer expectations. As you progress, you will be trained to transform proofs into artwork for print and contribute to moodboards, creative designs, website imagery, and social media assets. This role is ideal for someone with strong attention to detail, a passion for design, and a reliable work ethic, as these qualities will open opportunities to grow into a wider range of creative projects within the team.

- Assist in creating accurate customer proofs
- Support artwork preparation for print projects
- Contribute to creative moodboards and design concepts
- Assist in producing digital assets for websites and social media
- Maintain accurate records of design work and file management
- Work collaboratively with designers and account managers
- Keep a clean, organised, and professional working environment

It is essential that the successful candidate is computer literate, with experience using the Adobe Creative Suite particularly Adobe Illustrator (AI), Adobe Photoshop, and working confidently with EPS files. The candidate must also be able to read, write, and communicate effectively, using core computer skills to collaborate with colleagues and complete daily tasks.

Where you'll work

PARK HOUSE
CLAYTON WOOD CLOSE
LEEDS
LS16 6QE

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

BPIF TRAINING LIMITED

Training course

Print technician (level 3)

What you'll learn

• Apply environmental and sustainability procedures in compliance with regulations and standards for example, segregating resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
• Apply health and safety and manual handling procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
• Plan and prioritise work
• Record or enter information - paper based or electronic for example, work sheets, check lists, handover records, job sheets.
• Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement.
• Follow equality, diversity and inclusion procedures.
• Communicate with others verbally including colleagues or stakeholders.
• Communicate in writing.
• Apply problem-solving techniques to common problems.
• Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
• Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks, with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
• Apply team working principles.
• Convert customer files to print-ready files using software and workflow packages.
• Check, process and transmit digital files using software.
• Create and edit digital images.
• Conversion of digital files into colour separations for the defined production method.
• Apply digital techniques to produce a proof.
• Apply colour profiles to the design.
• Apply production techniques to produce plates, screens, or output files.
• Apply pre-press quality assurance procedures.
• Set up and check the multi-unit print press, including speeds, inks and toners and pre-printing quality checks.
• Follow print press start up or warm up procedures.
• Apply print press operations and techniques, including managing colour. Handle variable data on digital presses.
• Follow quality control processes during printing, including checking for colour matching, print resolution, product consistency.
• Apply press equipment and machinery maintenance techniques including cleaning and servicing.
• Follow machine shut down, safe isolation, hand over procedures. Escalate issues.
• Apply press quality assurance procedures.
• Apply safe systems of work to the printing press process in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidelines. This should include identifying risks and hazards and the handling and disposal of chemicals.
• Set up finishing equipment for example, guillotines, stitching-trimming machinery, binding machinery, laminating equipment, die-cutters.
• Operate finishing equipment to apply different finishing processes, for example, varnishing, folding, embossing and debossing, foil blocking, scoring, packing, gluing, match and attach, tab and slot, sorting, banding.
• Prepare printing for next stage, including packing and wrapping.
• Apply post-press equipment maintenance techniques including cleaning and servicing.
• Apply post-press quality assurance procedures such as checking for folding accuracy, stitch alignment, foil position.
• Apply safe systems of work to the finishing process in compliance with regulations, standards and guidelines, including the handling and disposal of chemicals.
• Apply environmental and sustainability procedures in compliance with regulations and standards for example, segregating resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
• Apply health and safety and manual handling procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
• Plan and prioritise work
• Record or enter information - paper based or electronic for example, work sheets, check lists, handover records, job sheets.
• Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement.
• Follow equality, diversity and inclusion procedures.
• Communicate with others verbally including colleagues or stakeholders.
• Communicate in writing.
• Apply problem-solving techniques to common problems.
• Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
• Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks, with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
• Apply team working principles.

Training schedule

The apprenticeship will be completed onsite at Involution's headquarters (LS16) supported by the company and BPIF Training.

Training will take place during standard office hours, Monday to Thursday (8:00am- 4:30pm) and Friday (8:00am- 4:00pm).

On-the-job training is provided to ensure all core requirements of the role are met but it is critical for experience in using Photoshop and Illustrator. Depending on the candidate's existing skillset, there will also be opportunities to gain more advanced experience through additional training with our creative team.

The BPIF apprenticeship programme is structured around eight key training blocks, each focusing on a core pillar of pre-press and print production.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade 4)
• Maths (grade 4)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• IT skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Team working
• Creative
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience
• Photoshop
• Illustrator

Other requirements

To help you understand the working environment and expectations of the role, here are a few important points to consider:

Office Dogs: We have two friendly office dogs on site, so it’s important that the successful candidate feels comfortable working around animals.

Open‑Plan Workspace: Our studio is an open‑plan environment. You should feel confident working in a shared, collaborative space with regular interaction across teams.

Commuting: This is an onsite role, so applicants should be comfortable commuting to our LS16 headquarters each day.

Equipment Provided: All necessary computer and print‑related equipment will be supplied.

Deadlines & Workflow: Print production can be fast‑paced and deadline‑driven, so strong time‑management skills and the ability to stay calm and focused under pressure are important.

Attention to Detail: Accuracy and consistency are essential in print. Applicants should feel confident working with detailed specifications, artwork checks, and quality‑control processes.