Industry protests save Brisbane School of Printing

Relief resounds from the Queensland printing industry as the Department of Education plans to keep the Brisbane School of Printing running.

At this week's meeting involving Printing Industries Association of Australia, the Department of Education, Training and the Arts and Southbank Institute of Technology representatives, there was a renewed commitment to the continuation of printing apprenticeship training at the Southbank Institute under Certificates II and III.

Neal McLary, Printing Industries' Queensland general manager welcomed the decision and urged printing employers to stop holding-off employing apprentices due to recent uncertainty about training in the industry.

One source close to the Brisbane School of Printing said that news was positive and students would continue be trained effectively.

"So long as the student gets the best possible outcome and the course is still being delivered then that is what matters," said the source.

Southbank Institute of Technology's CEO, Craig Sherrin said that the Institute will continue to work in partnership with the printing industry to ensure appropriate training.

"Our continued collaboration means the industry can continue to increase productivity, innovation and appropriately train their workforce to enable them to compete in a global marketplace," Sherrin said.

The main outcome of the meeting was the agreement to develop a draft skills strategy for the industry which will be submitted to government and industry representatives for further consideration by the end of year.

Ron Jackson of the LIA, who was responsible for rallying against the proposed changes to the school was pleased by the verdict.

"It's a step in the right direction," he said. "Now I really hope that we can come up with an exciting, innovating new course."