8135 — Printing machine assistants

What this occupation covers

Printing machine assistants set and operate letterpress, platen or cylinder, lithographic and photogravure printing machines, photocopiers, office printers, duplication machines and other reprographic equipment.

Typical duties

positions printing plates, loads inks into reservoirs and loads paper rolls or sheets into printing press

sets controls to control the speed, pressure and ink flow of printing machine

loads photocopiers, office printers, duplication machines and other reprographic equipment with stationery

starts reprographic or printing machine and monitors operation for paper misfeeds and error messages, removes blockages and replaces damaged paper, and monitors quality of output

carries out routine maintenance and cleaning of printing machine

sets and operates machines for cutting paper to specified dimensions or for folding or binding to produce finished paper items

sets and operates presses for stamping patterns and labels on textiles, clothing, pottery, footwear and other leather goods

Entry routes and qualifications

No academic qualifications are required. Off and on-the-job training is provided. NVQs/SVQs in Screen Printing are available at levels 1 and 2, and in Machine Printing at levels 2 and 3.

Sponsorship information

Ineligible. Actual duties, sponsor, applicant, salary and any transitional or shortage-list conditions must be checked.

DBS assessment

No code-wide DBS assessment is assigned. Check actual duties, activities, workplace, frequency and jurisdiction. This code does not determine the level of check.

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