PrintNZ’s inaugural company training award has been won by APN Print New Zealand.
The award – presented by PrintNZ chief executive Joan Grace at the Heritage Hotel in Auckland last night – recognises the training processes and the culture established by the company in recent years.
APN Print general manager Dan Blackbourn says the company is “looking after its apprentices, giving them a chance to learn as much about the trade as possible and using the professionals we have within our organisation as strong mentors.
“We have some fantastic tradespeople who are willing to pass their knowledge on and some fantastic apprentices who are able to take that information onboard and put it to use everyday.”
Apprentices at APN Print are put through a 26-week revolving training programme: “We give them every exposure to all parts of their trade and other trades,” says Blackbourn. “For instance at Ellerslie, our apprentices would not only learn how to print, they would also get exposure to the mechanical, electrical and pre-press sides of the business.”
The company has also produced two PrintNZ apprentices of the year in the past five years, and was reaping the rewards of training culture.
“We get the results every day when the apprentices come to work. But not only that, if our people go on to bigger and better things, there is no doubt it will be due to the fundamental training we are giving them.”
APN Print group trainer Phil Ost was also named one of three finalists in the PrintNZ Workplace Trainer Award. Blackbourne says he has been a catalyst for the talented tradespeople the company has. “He has taken on the responsibility of being a mentor for all of our apprentices and he regularly travels around our regional sites to ensure the onsite trainers and apprentices receive the full benefit of what we have to offer as a company,” he says.
Pictured: Russell Wieck, Karen Ost, Phil Ost and Dan Blackbourn