Young gun executives

It says something about the vintage of the typical print person that the industry’s leading “junior” association welcomes anyone up to 40 years old. Print is an age-old process with an ageing workforce. The average workers are into their forties; the usual management types are into their fifties. Succession planning is one of the hot potatoes for many business owners; attracting young workers with fresh thinking is another. With this in mind, the industry would be wise to welcome any group dedicated to engaging young minds who will one day take the lead rope.

But there’s no two ways about it – it has been a difficult time for the Junior Printers Association of NSW (JPE). The demand for new skills and radical ways of thinking has never been greater, but one of the few organisations actively catering for these people has seen numbers dwindle and less than stellar turnouts to key events.  But the organisation is not going down without a fight. It is undergoing a resurgence and has a new lease on life. It is building new connections and hunting down more recruits from a wider base.

The new marketing brochure explains: “While respecting its origins as an important resource for junior printing executives, the JPE of today has a wider vision and purpose. Put simply, everyone who is young and young at heart, is welcome to be part of JPE and help us, help young achievers in our industry reach their true business potential.”