Apprentice Press Operator

LABEL EXPRESS CROYDON (CR0 4TT)
Closes in 28 days (Friday 6 November 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 8 October 2026

Summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join an established label printing company based in Croydon, that has arisen due to continued growth and success. You will be working with a highly skilled and experienced team. Training will be on both flexographic and digital print machinery with excellent benefits for the successful applicant.

Wage: £23,500 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Benefits: include plenty of overtime opportunity and work-based life assurance and pension plans.

Training

Training course: Print technician (level 3)
Hours: This role operates on a two-shift rotation, from Monday to Friday.
Morning shift: 06:00 - 13:25.
Afternoon shift: 13:25 - 21:00.
On Fridays, shorter shifts apply:

• Morning shift: 06:00 - 12:00.
• Afternoon shift: 12:00 - 18:00.
  35 hours a week
  Start date: Monday 9 November 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

Training will be given to skilfully set up and run both an 8 colour flexographic printing press and a Digital LED Inkjet press with tasks such as:

• Mount printing plates and cylinders correctly.
• Prepare and mix inks to required colour specifications.
• Adjust machine settings (speed, pressure, alignment) to ensure print quality.
• Monitor print runs for colour accuracy, registration, and consistency.
• Load paper and jobs correctly from the job queue/workflow.
• Inspect printed materials for defects and maintain quality standards.
• Perform routine machine maintenance and cleaning.
• Troubleshoot mechanical or printing issues during production.
• Maintain production records and job documentation.
• Follow health and safety regulations and company procedures.

Where you'll work

8 BATH HOUSE ROAD
BEDDINGTON TRADING PARK
WEST BEDDINGTON LANE
CROYDON CR0 4TT

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)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

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.