About BPIF Training
The specialist training provider for print, packaging and manufacturing
We have been training people in print, packaging and manufacturing for over 20 years. It is all we do.
That focus is the point. We are not a general provider with a print department bolted on — our tutors know presses, finishing lines and production floors, and they understand the pressures a job runs under. It means we are not learning your business on your time.
We deliver apprenticeships from Level 2 to Level 7, covering press operators and technicians through to team leaders and senior managers, alongside NVQs for experienced staff and short courses on specific skills. Training happens in the workplace and online, so apprentices stay on site and employers keep their people.
We work with around 200 employers across the UK, from single-site trade printers to national groups with apprentices across multiple locations. At any one time roughly 400 people are on programme with us.
Who we are
BPIF Training is a specialist apprenticeship and training provider for manufacturing, print and packaging.
We deliver 12 apprenticeship standards from Level 2 to Level 7, alongside NVQs, vocational qualifications and short courses. Delivery is work-based rather than college-based — there’s no day release, and the protected off-the-job time every apprentice needs is scheduled with you at the start so it fits your production.
Our roots are in print manufacturing, and that heritage still shapes how we work: we understand production environments, shift patterns and the pressure of a delivery date. But the skills that matter on a press floor matter across manufacturing, and our provision has grown accordingly — from press operation and packaging through to lean manufacturing, supply chain, leadership and management.
Whatever you make, we build the programme around how your business actually runs.
The numbers
learners on programme
employers across manufacturing, print and packaging
years training this industry
of employers would recommend us to another employer
of apprentices would recommend us
of apprentices report increased output or productivity at work
Ofsted rated, matrix accredited and Cyber Essentials Plus certified
apprenticeship standards, from entry level to senior leadership
average apprentice rating across fourteen quality measures
Learner and employer numbers correct as at July 2026. Satisfaction data from our 2025 employer and apprentice surveys.
What makes us different
Built on print
We're the largest supplier of apprenticeships to the print industry, and that's where our expertise was built — high-volume production, tight tolerances, unforgiving deadlines. It's a demanding environment, and it taught us how production businesses actually work.
Broader than print
The skills that matter on a press floor matter across manufacturing. Lean, quality, supply chain, leadership — our provision has grown well beyond print, and keeps growing as employers tell us what they need. Whether you make cartons, components or signage, the underlying disciplines are the same.
We act on feedback
We survey employers and apprentices every year, and the results shape our quality improvement plan. Where feedback points to something we can do better, it becomes a named priority with an owner and a deadline — not a line in a report.
Our Team
Apprentices consistently tell us the tutor makes the difference. Our team brings hands-on experience from manufacturing and print — they’ve worked in these environments, and they know what a training plan looks like when it meets a production schedule.
96% of our apprentices say they’re treated fairly and with respect by our staff, and 4.5 out of 5 say their tutor understands them and how they like to learn.
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Creating the workforce for the future is what I am most passionate about. The spectrum of print and manufacturing is changing at such a rapid rate, my role is to keep BPIF Training at forefront of the changes. I've headed up BPIF Training since 2018.
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I joined BPIF in 2019 with 10 years’ sector experience, having worked across a variety of programmes in numerous roles. This role has enabled me to fulfil several of my passions; data, breaking cycles and supporting others to reach their potential.
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Equally passionate about apprenticeships & the opportunity they bring, quality & innovation, I believe they can co-exist allowing us to set a commitment to excellence. Belief, passion, & a talented team can achieve anything they set their mind to
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Studied journalism at University, but went on to work in reprographics, plate making, litho and gravure printing. Moved on to become a Pre-Press Data and Continuous Improvement Manager with a black belt in Lean Six Sigma and Prince2.
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Started as a print apprenticeship and work my way into a management role. Personal development is something that I am passionate about and I really enjoy being able to help the next generation of managers achieve their career goals.
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I started in newspapers working as a journalist before moving into training delivery where I enjoy passing my knowledge and experience on to the next generation.
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Have been in the printing industry all my working life, starting as an Apprentice Litho Printer in the Carton Industry. Also worked as a Litho Minder, Colour Matcher, Shift Supervisor & Production Manager as well as spending time in commercial print
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I am passionate about inspiring students to be more than they thought they could be and to knowledge, experience and skills to the current and future generations in the industry.
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I have been in the printing industry for all of my working life. I enjoy working with the new generation of apprentices in my role and keeping up to date with the latest technology.
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I have been in the print sector since leaving school and have built a wide knowledge base. I never imagined myself in a teaching role but enjoy being part of the enrichment of knowledge to the apprentices
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Having experienced the apprenticeship journey has enabled me to understand the learner’s perspective as well as the trainer. It’s so rewarding every time one of my candidates achieves their qualification.
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Staring as an in house trained label printer in 1987, working in a variety of roles (shift supervisor/QHSE/Purchasing supervisor) before staring this role in 2019. I enjoying giving back to the industry that has sustained my family for 34 years
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Having been an apprentice myself I possess the understanding and and have a strong passion of the apprenticeship values and as a result can relate well to my learners
Accredited and inspected
AWARDING BODIES
Every qualification we deliver is backed by a recognised awarding organisation. We work with ILM, City & Guilds, DSW, ETA and GQA. That means the qualification your apprentice earns is nationally recognised and carries weight with employers across the industry, not just with us.
ACCREDITATION AND MEMBERSHIPS
We're inspected by Ofsted as part of delivering government-funded training and hold a Grade 2 (Good) rating. Our matrix accreditation covers the quality of our information, advice and guidance, and we're certified to Cyber Essentials Plus, so your people's data is handled properly. We're also members of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, contributing to the wider skills sector rather than just operating in it.
Who we work with
Our employers range from global packaging manufacturers to two-person sign shops — 200+ businesses with 400+ learners on programme. Different sectors bring different pressures, and our tutors know those differences because they’ve worked in these environments.
200+ employers across 74 postcode areas, from Cornwall to the Scottish central belt.
Commercial print
Fast turnaround, consistent quality and digital innovation, with apprentices working across litho, digital and finishing.
Packaging and labels
Technical precision and materials expertise, with growing pressure to innovate around sustainability and compliance.
Signage and display
Design, fabrication and installation across a wide range of materials, from retail spaces to transport hubs.
Food manufacturing
Packaging and labelling that meets safety standards and carries the information consumers rely on.
Pharmaceutical printing
Absolute accuracy and regulatory compliance, from patient information leaflets to medical packaging. Errors are not an option.
Publishing
Balancing traditional print with digital transformation across editorial, production and distribution.
Wider manufacturing
Production, assembly, quality and logistics roles wherever lean thinking and technical skills matter.
Education
In-house print and reprographics teams keeping learning resources modern and cost-effective.
Public sector
Councils and local authorities developing print and communications teams under real cost pressure.
Some employers are building a talent pipeline across multiple sites, with cohorts moving through several standards at once. Others are training their first apprentice and want someone to walk them through the paperwork, the funding and what to expect. Both are normal, and we’ve done plenty of each.
The programme quality is the same either way. What changes is how we shape the delivery around your shift patterns, your production schedule and the people you’re putting through it.
Talk to us about your team
Tell us what you’re trying to achieve and we’ll map out the route — apprenticeships, NVQs, short courses, or a mix. We’ll also tell you when something isn’t the right fit.
No obligation, and no hard sell. Most conversations start with an employer who isn’t sure what they need.