Amicus learning reps are to the fore in printing partnership

A new partnership between manufacturing union Amicus, employers' body the British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF) and the sector skills council Proskills is to promote increased skills and training in the printing industry.

Amicus's network of learning reps will play a key role in encouraging and supporting employees into learning, while Proskills will encourage employers to train and develop their workers.

Bernard Rutter, the union's head of organising, learning and skills for the sector and a member of the Proskills board, described the learning and skills strategies being developed as "groundbreaking" .

He added that the partnership aims "to involve and encourage employers and employees to develop and implement the skills that will enable us to continue to be a major player in the global print market."

Amicus learning reps are also helping to gather employers' views on skills development in the industry, by discussing the issue with them and encouraging them to contribute to a Proskills consultation on a sector skills agreement.