Sign & Print Career Connections Captures Interest in Adelaide

Hundreds of students visited the Sign & Print Career Connections stand at the Adelaide Careers & Employment Expo, boosting the drive to attract new talent to the print, sign and graphics sector.

Taking a stand at the show at the Adelaide Showgrounds, the initiative, led by Visual Connections in partnership with ASGA, FESPA Australia, the FPLMA, LIA and VMA, proved that when presented well, industry careers are well-regarded by young people.

10,500 students, parents and teachers attended the Adelaide Careers Expo, and the Sign & Print Career Connections team was on hand to greet them, with the bright, eye-catching stand attracting interest, a suite of 'Try-A-Trade' activities providing engagement, and the team from the Australian Schools Industry Partnership (AusSIP), the local TAFE and industry volunteers on hand to talk to visitors about industry careers.

Tina Mavris from AusSIP says it's a winning formula. "Having such an engaging display at these Careers Expos gives students a real feel for the excitement and diversity of the visual communications sector and helps to get them thinking about how they might apply their talents to the opportunities available in print, sign and graphics," she says.

"Once again, we've had hundreds of conversations with students who are keen to find out more about industry careers and explore the training options and apprenticeship structures that can get them there. It's been terrific."

Students were encouraged to participate in the Try-A-Trade area, which featured laser with Trotec, TAFE SA with vinyl cutting, wrapping, sign writing, applying graphics and many more hands-on opportunities supported by volunteers from Ball & Doggett.

The comprehensive Sign & Print Career Connections booklet supported the team's efforts, which once again proved to be a popular takeaway and online resource that students can use to connect to further information about training and employment opportunities.

The Sign & Print Career Connections program is made possible with the support of industry sponsors, including major sponsors Amari Visual Solutions, Ball & Doggett, Cactus Imaging, Fujifilm Graphic Systems, Graphic Art Mart, Mulford Australia, ORAFOL, Pozitive Sign & Graphics Supplies and Sign-a-Rama, and partnering sponsors Böttcher, FPLMA, Hero Print, MacDirmid Graphic Solutions and Spicers.

The Sign & Print Career Connections initiative is now on its way to Brisbane, where it will feature at the Brisbane Careers & Employment Expo at the BCEC on 24 and 25 May. The expo is free to attend, and volunteers are invited to participate; click here to find out more and register.