Pre-press Operator

Typical Salary

£16,000 To £30,000

Typical Hours

38 to 40 a week

9am to 5pm

How To Become a Pre-press Operator

You can get into this job through:

a college course
an apprenticeship
applying directly
specialist courses run by industry bodies

College / University

You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. Relevant courses include:

Level 2 Award or Level 3 Certificate in Printing and Graphic Communications
Level 2 or 3 Certificate in Understanding the Print Environment

2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

You can do an advanced print technician apprenticeship.

some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

You'll need a good general standard of education to apply directly for pre-press operator jobs. GCSEs in maths, English, art and IT may give you an advantage when looking for work. Some employers may ask for A levels or similar qualifications.

Other Routes

You can do specialist printing, packaging and graphic communications courses through the British Printing Industries Federation.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

design skills and knowledge
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
knowledge of computer operating systems, hardware and software
knowledge of manufacturing production and processes
the ability to work well with others
the ability to use your initiative
the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
to be flexible and open to change
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Day To Day Tasks

Your day-to-day tasks may include:

using desktop publishing and graphics software to create artwork
scanning and retouching images
checking a whole document for accuracy
preparing artwork for transfer to film
transferring the final image from film onto printing plates, using an imagesetter, known as platemaking

Working Environment

You could work in a creative studio or in an office.

You may need to wear protective clothing.

Career Path & Progression

You could become a pre-press manager or move into print administration jobs like estimator or production controller.

Most employers in the pre-press industry will offer training, either through a local college or short courses offered by the British Printing Industries Federation.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Career tips

Some knowledge of desktop publishing software will be useful, like InDesign, Illustrator or QuarkXPress.

Further information

You can find out more about careers in print from the British Printing Industries Federation.

Restrictions & Requirements

Restrictions & Requirements are not listed for this job.