PRINT CAREER SHOW REACHING OUT
Sign & Print Career Connections is returning again in 2025, with the initiative featuring at Careers & Employment Expos being held around the country over coming months.
The first took place in Western Sydney last week, the Melbourne event is running from Thursday to Saturday this week. The initiative will run in Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney over the coming months. The organiser is looking for volunteers from the print industry to come to the expos and share their stories with students.
The initiative, which is designed to help attract new talent to the print, sign and graphics sector, is run by industry suppliers’ association Visual Connections, and coordinated by Australian Schools Industry Partnership (AusSIP). According to Visual Connections, it has proven a huge success, connecting with thousands of students, parents, teachers and careers advisors last year, and engaging young people in try-a-trade activities and conversations with industry experts, training providers and current apprentices.
More than 6000 booklets on industry careers were distributed in 2024, with thousands of hits clocked on the Sign & Print Career Connections Online resource, with AusSIP and local TAFEs fielding a significant number of enquiries about apprenticeships.
Following last week’s western Sydney event, the programme will be run at the following Careers & Employment Expos:
- Melbourne: 20 - 22 March
- Adelaide: 9 - 10 May
- Brisbane: 12 - 14 June
- Sydney: 15 - 16 August
A full team of volunteers has been assembled to share their passion and practical advice with students in Sydney, however, more volunteers are needed for the three-day Melbourne show.
Karren Challoner-Miles, executive general manager of Visual Connections, says the programme represents an important commitment by Visual Connections – and the industry’s suppliers – to support industry businesses by driving interest in careers.
“The skills shortage is well documented, but it’s exciting to see how genuinely engaged and interested students are when they come onto the stand and start to get an idea of what a career in print, sign and graphics could look like,” she said.
“Having such an engaging visual display helps grab attention, and really draws students in, giving them a real experience of what the visual communications sector can do – and how they might apply their talents to the available opportunities.
“Promoting careers in sign, print and graphics is vital to support the future of our sector – and there’s no one better to pass on the passion that than the people who are part of it, every day,” she added.
“If you can spare even an hour or two to come and chat with students about your experience of the industry, please give our team a call at (02) 9878 1577 or email karrenc@visualconnections.org.au to let us know your availability.”
The Sign & Print Career Connections program is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Graphic Art Mart, Orafol, Pozitive and Signarama, and the support of partnering sponsors Böttcher, Hero Print, MacDermid Graphics Solutions and Spicers. The program is run by Visual Connections, with industry associations Asga, Fespa Australia, FPLMA, LIA and VMA all supporting the initiative.