How to become a printing machine assistant

Official title: Printing machine assistants

Also called: Machine boy, Machine minder, Machine setter, Press assistant, Print assistant, Machine manager, Rotary assistant, Machine layer-on, General assistant, Machine taker-off, Printing assistant, Printing machinist

Printing machine assistants set and operate letterpress, platen or cylinder, lithographic and photogravure printing machines, photocopiers, office printers, duplication machines and other reprographic equipment.

Main tasks

• Positions printing plates, loads inks into reservoirs and loads paper rolls or sheets into printing press
• Sets controls to control the speed, pressure and ink flow of printing machine
• Loads photocopiers, office printers, duplication machines and other reprographic equipment with stationery
• Starts reprographic or printing machine and monitors operation for paper misfeeds and error messages, removes blockages and replaces damaged paper, and monitors quality of output
• Carries out routine maintenance and cleaning of printing machine
• Sets and operates machines for cutting paper to specified dimensions or for folding or binding to produce finished paper items
• Sets and operates presses for stamping patterns and labels on textiles, clothing, pottery, footwear and other leather goods

How to become one

No academic qualifications are required. Off and on-the-job training is provided. NVQs/SVQs in Screen Printing are available at levels 1 and 2, and in Machine Printing at levels 2 and 3.

Pay · Outlook

• Median full-time pay: £29,925 a year The middle half earn £25,351 to null.
• About 11,900 people work in this job now, and about 11,800 are projected by 2035. (-1.6%)

Related jobs

• Water and sewerage plant operatives
• Paper and wood machine operatives
• Mining and quarry workers and related operatives
• Energy plant operatives

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Questions people ask

How do I become a printing machine assistant?

No academic qualifications are required. Off and on-the-job training is provided. NVQs/SVQs in Screen Printing are available at levels 1 and 2, and in Machine Printing at levels 2 and 3.

How much does a printing machine assistant earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £29,925 a year (Office for National Statistics).

Is a printing machine assistant a growing career in the UK?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 11,900 people now and 11,800 later (Department for Education).

Sources

• Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03