Maira Siliniece – APFS
Name: Maira Siliniece
Apprenticeship programme: Level 2 Print Operative
Employer: APFS
Training Coordinator: John Campey
What stage are you at in your apprenticeship journey?
Coming towards the end my apprenticeship.
What made you decide to undertake an apprenticeship? How did you come to work in print?
I need to say thanks to my family member, who asked me to come and try something new. I started 2017 just as temporary staff for Christmas card project. I was packing produced cards. A Year later I came already with knowledge about this project and I was offered to print wrapping paper and work on a folder machine. And year after year I came back for this temporary job and after covid I had an offer to start work here full time. At first I was helping out in finishing and learning more and more about this industry and after a couple months I got offered a job role as print operator and then came an apprenticeship.
Tell us about some of the key knowledge, skills, and behaviours you have developed since starting your apprenticeship.
I will say that everyday was like a learning lesson , because the print industry was something new for me. I learnt how to operate the HP Indigo digital press. It opened my eyes to how it actually works. I never before when buying for example a book will think about book quality , how it was printed, how it was made up. Now when I walk in the shop I am looking not just at book content, but quality and how it is made up. Like for me I as a person learnt so much information and new things that I can make my own decision, discuss and I am much more confident than I was before. I improved my English , as English is my second language.
Tell us about a typical day at work for you.
My typical day is mostly about print. I am printing the jobs, checking quality, and doing maintenance on the machine. Every morning we have a production meeting where we discuss daily workload, stock requirements and job deadlines.
What’s the most enjoyable part of your apprenticeship?
Building up my knowledge in the print environment I learnt how it is to work in the team under pressure. I like that feeling, when I was doing something new for the first time it was challenging and the main thing is not to give up.
What do you see yourself doing on achievement of your apprenticeship?
I definitely will progress at my job role and develop in other areas like finishing. I would like to go to Barcelona for HP training.
Would you recommend apprenticeships in the print industry to others, and what would you tell them about the industry?
Definitely yes. Every day I am learning something new. It can be a new interesting job to print or new machinery or new problems that need to be solved. It is challenging, but absolutely worth it.
What do you think are the benefits of undertaking an apprenticeship?
Definitely new knowledge about the print industry and better English. An apprenticeship teaches me that I can analyse, think and use my knowledge to do my job.
Gaining a Print industry recognised qualification.
