IPEX announces its Future Skills programme
The Future Skills programme will run throughout the four days of the IPEX show. The event includes a packed guest speaker programme from a diverse cross-section of the print and design industry.
Rob Fisher, event director, said, “Our Future Skills conference has been designed to inspire, engage and help the print industry promote itself. For young people considering a career in print, or those that are just starting out, and for printers looking for guidance on filling the skills gap this is a must-attend event. Speakers will explain how the industry can attract young talented individuals as well as highlighting the career opportunities on offer. There will also be sessions covering the apprenticeship levy, recruitment and succession planning.”
For the young print professional needing career guidance, Mel Fedeli and Sarah Large from Woodrow Mercer will be sharing findings from their market research including a discussion around what really matters to candidates when choosing their next role and the ways that print businesses can attract the finest young talent, and crucially how best to retain it.
Jon Bray, education director at Learn2Print will be discussing apprenticeships in print, an informative session about the enormous benefits and growth opportunities for a large or small business. Ursula Daly from the BPIF will demystify apprenticeships, explaining apprenticeship standards vs frameworks, trailblazers, and the status of the trailblazers for print.
A panel debate, on November 2, will also deliberate on what is currently happening to encourage young people to look at the industry as a serious career path — from engaging students to providing the means to help them succeed. This will include an interactive session to find out what potential employers need from young people.
Tony Harmer, specialist solutions consultant, Adobe, will be presenting daily under the title ‘The Adobe Creative Cloud: The world’s best creative application’. Printed electronics will be explained by Novalia, an award-winning team that combine sconventional printing with electronics and touch software. Also, Ian Sullivan, CEO, Paperhat Consorcio, will present an informative session titled, ‘Combining Print & Social Media: How to effectively manage cross media campaigns for your customers’.
Fisher concluded, “I believe IPEX provides an excellent combination of technology, innovation, advice and practical support, which will provide our visitors with greater insights into the opportunities that the print industry has to offer.”
For further details about the Future Skills programme and complete schedule, visit: http://www.ipex.org/programme
IPEX is one of the UK’s longest running international print shows. The event takes place from October 31 to November 3, 2017, at the NEC in Birmingham.