rint Scotland, the official representative body for the print and graphics industries in Scotland, has issued a warning that Scotland risks a “skills cliff edge” unless apprenticeship funding disparities with England are urgently addressed.
According to Print Scotland, under the current system a Print Industry Occupations apprenticeship in Scotland attracts just £3,200 in training contribution (age 16–19) on average and only £1200 for 19–24-year-olds.
The trade association calculates that in England, comparable Print Technician apprenticeships attract funding closer to £10,000, representing a gap of almost £7,000 per apprentice.
Industry figures from across Scotland’s print, packaging, and label industries have spoken about the issues, saying that the disparity places Scottish businesses and training providers at a serious disadvantage.
Richard McCombe, managing director of wide-format printer, Graphic Warehouse and vice president of Print Scotland, says: “How can a Scottish apprentice be worth less than half of their English counterpart? The qualification level is comparable, the industrial skill level is comparable, but the funding support is nowhere near comparable.”
Describing the potential ramifications of this disparity, McCombe continues: “We are heading towards a skills cliff edge. If we do not replace retiring skills now, Scotland will struggle to deliver the infrastructure, manufacturing, and export projects it depends on.”
Michiel Molenaar, president of Print Scotland and managing director of specialist packaging printer, Kennedy Smith, says: “Packaging supports some of Scotland’s most successful export industries including food and drink and pharmaceuticals. These industries depend on highly-skilled technical operators.
“If apprenticeship pipelines weaken because funding does not match the real cost of training, that will ultimately impact the wider economy.”
Susan Carr, managing director of CV Labels and Print Scotland board member, said the disparity is becoming increasingly visible to employers. She adds: “Label and packaging production relies on precision manufacturing skills that take years to develop. Apprenticeships are the most effective way to build that capability.
“When Scottish employers see similar apprenticeships in England receiving significantly higher funding, it raises serious questions about how Scotland values technical skills.”
Print Scotland is calling for a review of apprenticeship funding bands, alignment of print funding with comparable technical frameworks, greater parity with English apprenticeship funding, and stronger incentives for SMEs to recruit apprentices.
The news comes in the wake of several schemes and initiatives launched in recent months within print and its associated industries, following Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2026 which took place from March 2nd to 6th and the UK’s National Apprenticeship Week from February 9th to 15th.
Graphics Warehouse actively offers a number of trainee and apprenticeship roles at its facilities, with skills training offered including in wide-format printing, sign-making, and display graphics manufacture.
Other initiatives launched this year include a new Level 3 Print Technician Apprenticeship from independent UK marketing agency, Loveurope and Partners (leap), and a 12-month mentoring scheme for employees of Essex-based print and design agency, KGK Genix.
The Printing Charity’s Rising Star Awards, which is open to entries across the UK, recently opened for its 17th year, with award winners able to receive up to £1,500 in funding to undertake training and development.
This year, the maximum age of entrants has extended from 30 to 35, with the aim of supporting those who have either made a career pivot to join the sector or who are looking to upskill.
A cross-association meeting focused on addressing the print and packaging industry’s growing workforce challenges was also held last month, bringing together trade association leaders from across the UK to drive a more unified approach to talent attraction, development, and retention.
A key focus at the event was attracting young talent to print, with new and more unified initiatives to retain skilled employees being discussed including additional UK-wide apprenticeship schemes
