Pre-press operators work in the printing industry, getting artwork from a client and supplying the printing plates used on a press.
£16,000 Starter
to£30,000 Experienced
38 to 40 a week
9am to 5pm
You can get into this job through:
You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. Relevant courses include:
You'll usually need:
You can do an intermediate apprenticeship in print and printed packaging - pre-press, or a print technician advanced apprenticeship.
You'll usually need:
You'll need a good general standard of education to apply directly for pre-press operator jobs. GCSEs in maths, English, art and IT may give you an advantage when looking for work. Some employers may ask for A levels or similar qualifications.
You can do specialist printing, packaging and graphic communications courses through the British Printing Industries Federation.
Some knowledge of desktop publishing software will be useful, like InDesign, Illustrator or QuarkXPress.
You can find out more about careers in print from the British Printing Industries Federation.
You'll need:
Your day-to-day tasks may include:
You could work in a studio or in an office.
You may need to wear protective clothing.
You could become a pre-press manager or move into print administration jobs like estimator or production controller.
Most employers in the pre-press industry will offer training, either through a local college or short courses offered by the British Printing Industries Federation.
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