Belfast-based Northside Graphics has seen its first apprentice, Lee Bradley, named Print Apprentice of the Year at the recent Irish Print Awards, validating an apprenticeship scheme that it launched during the pandemic.
Northern Ireland’s oldest and largest digital printing company, with more than 70 staff, Northside launched its specialist Training Academy in June 2021 following a period of sustained growth that defied the pandemic. This offered full-time apprenticeships to candidates aged 16 to 24 and is run in conjunction with Belfast Metropolitan College (‘Belfast Met’), which delivers the training at Northside’s premises.
The first apprentice to be appointed was Mr Bradley, now 19, from Carrickfergus, who was encouraged to join by his father and had been studying graphic design at Northern Regional College. He was winner in the 43rd Irish Print Awards in recognition of ‘outstanding personal growth and … demonstration of aptitude for working within the print media industry’. He has since also been nominated for a second award, at the Belfast Met Skills & Apprenticeships Awards.
Mr Bradley reflected, ‘Over the past nine months I have gained a fantastic insight into the industry and developed wide-ranging skills that I know will enable me to pursue a lifelong career in digital printing. I have particularly enjoyed gaining more knowledge and practical experience in the HP Indigo digital printing process and hope this continues.’
Northside Graphics operations director Richard Campbell said, ‘Lee exemplifies all that is good about our Training Academy – quickly demonstrating a flair and natural ability to develop the skills required to succeed in our industry, underpinned by his tremendous enthusiasm, ambition and hunger to learn.
‘We now have six apprentices going through our innovative Training Academy, all of whom have brought so much to Northside and who, in turn, have been equipped with the core skills required to enjoy sustainable employment in our industry for many years to come.’
