APN Print Training And Quality Commitment Rewarded

APN Print New Zealand media release (May 27, 2014)

APN Print Training And Quality Commitment Rewarded

APN Print New Zealand has won PrintNZ’s Company Training Award for the second time in three years and had senior printer Phil Ost recognised as a Trainer of the Year Finalist at this year’s event held at the Auckland Maritime Museum on May 22.

Delighted with the achievements, APN Print General Manager of Operations Dan Blackbourn says it is recognition of his firm’s continuing focus on apprentices, training and quality.

“We have been fortunate enough to take on more apprentices in 2014, so we have a big commitment to the industry, but we also want to know we are producing the best apprentices as well,” he says.

“The testimony to our training is that APN Print has had three Apprentices of the Year and we’ll have another exciting candidate in next year’s awards.

“We are also giving people work skills and life skills ... it’s about giving them the opportunity to improve and develop.”

In regards to Mr Ost’s contribution, Mr Blackbourn says he has deservedly been a consistent nominee in the PrintNZ Awards.

“Not only does he oversee the apprentices but he also trains particular tradespeople who might be lacking in a certain skill.

“While we can put the programme in place, we need someone to enact it and he’s a key person for us -- not only as a full-time printer, but he’s also our only on-site trainer and he covers the bindery as well as print apprentices.”

Describing his training role as a “24/7 passion”, Mr Ost is extremely praiseworthy of the 26-week induction plan that APN Print has developed for its apprentices.

“Our apprentices don’t necessary spend all their time in the one department,” says Mr Ost.

“Each apprentice, irrespective of which discipline they will be learning, gets to spend time in other departments so that they can relate to those departments when they go about their everyday duties. This gives all apprentices a deep understanding on how the print site operates.”

Meanwhile, APN Print continued its tradition of fine performance at the Pride In Print Awards, held at the Sky City Convention Centre on May 23.

In this year's Publications Category, APN Print won four of the 12 Newspapers subcategory awards for the Chinese Herald 2/4/13, Freedom Farmers, Wairarapa Midweek and Weekend Sun 13/12/13.

In the same category, APN Print achieved Highly Commendeds for the Peninsual Press 14/3/13, Travel 28/5/13 and Driven 11/9/13.

“A great achievement recognising APN Print’s fine quality,” adds Mr Blackbourn.

ENDS

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