14 January 2009

Print futures awards offer £2500 scholarships for 2009

The scholarship award scheme jointly sponsored by the British Printing Industries Federation, Unite the Union and the Printers’ Charitable Corporation for the past five years is launched for 2009, its sixth year of operation, with a new name and new style designed to catch the imagination of young people. Now presented as the PRINT FUTURES AWARDS, the 2009 programme will assist young people in funding their education and training for a career in the printing and graphic arts industries.

Awards of £2500 each are available to young people aged 16-30 who are resident in the UK. Applications are made in writing on official application forms and a shortlist is invited for interview. The closing date for entries is April 30 2009. Interviews will be in May/June and the awards presented in July. Winners in the past four years have included students on established print and print management courses, graphic design students, employees of family owned print businesses, prepress specialists, pressroom managers and operators, PhD students and technicians from the consumables sector and publishing print production staff.. Winners have chosen to spend their awards in a variety of ways including course fees, travel costs for study tours, books and computers and software. Applications may also be made from those undergoing company training. Successful applicants in this category will receive an award of £1250 on condition that the company concerned will fund an equal sum in 2009/2010. An explanatory full colour brochure including the official application form is available from Terry Ulrick, the Print Futures Awards Secretary on [email protected] or 01444 831918 .