Leap welcomes print apprentice

London-based creative production agency Leap has welcomed print apprentice Oliver Owens into the business through a structured program delivered in partnership with training provider Learn2Print, combining hands-on production experience with college-based learning through day release.

The move comes as figures from the Office for National Statistics show the number of skilled print workers in the UK fell by 73 percent between 2006 and 2021, declining from 112,300 to just 30,500 across roles including pre-press technicians, printers, post-press specialists and print machine assistants.

'Ollie is joining us at an exciting time as we restructure our print offering to cover the demands of our clients,' said Neil Essam, head of operations at Leap. 'By enrolling him on the Level 3 Print Technician Apprenticeship, he will gain both hands-on and college-based training, combining real production experience with industry-recognized qualifications which will provide him the key skills required in a highly technical sector.'

Oliver Owens added: 'I'm excited to be joining Leap and starting my apprenticeship at such an important time in the business. I'm looking forward to gaining practical experience as well as expert knowledge to kickstart a strong foundation for a career in the print industry.'