Sign & Print Career Connections returns for 2025

The Sign & Print Career Connections  initiative is set to take place at Careers & Employment Expos around the country over coming months, with the first two taking place in Sydney and Melbourne in March.

The initiative, which is designed to help attract new talent to the print, sign and graphics sector, is run by Visual Connections and coordinated by Australian Schools Industry Partnership (AusSIP). It has proven a huge success, connecting with thousands of students, parents, teachers and careers advisors last year, and engaging the young people in try-a-trade activities and conversations with industry experts, training providers and current apprentices. 

Karren Challoner-Miles, Executive General Manager of Visual Connections, says the program represents an important commitment by Visual Connections – and the industry’s suppliers – to support industry businesses by driving interest in careers.“The skills shortage is well documented, but it’s exciting to see how genuinely engaged and interested students are when they come onto the stand and start to get an idea of what a career in print, sign and graphics could look like,” she says.

“Having such an engaging visual display helps grab attention, and really draws students in, giving them a real experience of what the visual communications sector can do – and how they might apply their talents to the available opportunities. Promoting careers in sign, print and graphics is vital to support the future of our sector – and there’s no one better to pass on the passion that than the people who are part of it, every day,” she adds. 

More than 6000 booklets on industry careers were distributed in 2024, withthousands of visitors to the Sign & Print Career Connections Online resource. AusSIP and many TAFEs  offices indicated they had fielded a significant number of enquiries about apprenticeships. 

This year, the program will be run at several Careers & Employment Expos including  the Sydney West Careers & Employment Expo at the Sydney Showground Friday and Saturday 14 and 15 March. The Sydney show will be followed by Melbourne on Thursday 20 to Saturday 22 March at the Melbourne Showground. More events will follow with the following dates and shows confirmed: 
•    Sydney West : 14 - 15 March
•    Melbourne : 20 - 22 March
•    Adelaide : 9 - 10 May
•    Brisbane : 12 - 14 June
•    Sydney : 15 - 16 August

A full team of volunteers has been assembled to share their passion and practical advice with students in Sydney, organisers say that more volunteers are needed for the three-day Melbourne show.  
Challenger-Miles adds “If you can spare even an hour or two to come and chat to students about your experience of the industry, please give our team a call on (02) 9878 1577 or email [email protected] to let us know your availability.”

The Sign & Print Career Connections program is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Graphic Art Mart, ORAFOL, Pozitive and Signarama, and the support of partnering sponsors Böttcher, Hero Print, MacDermid Graphics Solutions and Spicers. 

The program is run by Visual Connections, with industry associations ASGA, FESPA Australia, FPLMA, LIA and VMA all supportive of the initiative.