Personal Statement

After artworking for 20 years and piloting a mac for the last 15 you can be confident that there is no kind of work I can’t do.

Put a job in front of me and I’ll do it.

I am an organised, motivated, and confident individual, who is able to work well as a team member as well as on my own initiative. Creative and innovative, with the ability to find solutions to challenges as they occur. With a good sense of humor I am able to motivate others with good communication skills and enthusiasm.

Key Skills

• Over ten years experience in many sectors of prepress
• Determined and decisive; uses initiative to develop effective solutions to problems
• Able to build and lead teams
• Analyze, and where needed, document processes and procedures
• Methodical approach to planning and organising - good time-manager
• Detailed and precise; fastidious and thorough; consistent
• Decisive and results-driven; creative problem-solver: hard-working

Major Achievements

• Setting up a training scheme for all operators to convert to InDesign
• Successfully integrating and mentoring new members of staff
• Guiding operators through software transitions such as OS X
• Generating work by meeting client expectations

Freelance and The Think Tank May 2007 onwards

Some freelance roles producing packaging before accepting a full time position with The Think Tank. Server management, Technical support, and Lead operator producing artwork for advertising, point of sale, reports and product brochures.

AGI Solutions / TM Limited, Nov 2000 - March 2007

A varied role that requires a broad knowledge of Prepress and Printing. Progressing through various roles from artworking, running the studio, training staff and technical support. Responsible for ensuring all members of production staff are kept up to date with changes in procedure and software. Production of in house manuals and documentation to support this. Successfully set up a training course to ensure operators are conversant with InDesign. Team Leader for Point of Sale and Special Packaging.

Sample documentation for special packaging special_packaging.pdf (17.5Mb)

Norton Healthcare, London. July 2000 – April 2001

Responsible for creating packaging for pharmaceuticals (labels and cartons) and information leaflets for patients. Assisted in setting up procedures and work flow with a new print supplier in Ireland. Provided some technical support for the Macintosh machines. After moving to TM, continued to work for Norton on a temporary free lance basis.

Image Publicity, Richmond. Sep ‘99 – June 2000

Implemented a coherent back up strategy and involved in the introduction of a modern network and the change from Mac OS 7.x.x to OS 9. Continued to carry out my duties as a typesetter/art-worker and repro operator, liaising with clients and taking design briefs.

Printwell U.K. Ltd. Croydon. March ‘98 - Sep ‘99

Design and production of publicity material for a variety of companies from original concept to final film. Liaised with outside designers and make their files print ready. I was also responsible for ordering materials and organizing the servicing of equipment. Developed and implemented a back up strategy.

Early Career

Various positions in Derby.

• Designing brochures, leaflets and flyers for local businesses and organisations.
• Gained modern qualifications in DTP and AutoCAD.
• Produced artwork for a local magazine.
• Producing films for confectionary packaging and gift wrapping paper.
• Film separations for personalised cheque books from High Street Banks.
• Tickets for National Express Coaches and other forms of security printing.
• Dark Room practice, generating half tones, reversals and bromides.
• Production of local free news papers.

Technical Training

Media Training, London. June ‘99
Course in Photoshop 4

Wilmorton College, Derby. June ’95 - July ‘98
AutoCAD City & Guilds level 1 (3 Dimensional)
AutoCAD City & Guilds level 1 (2 Dimensional)
DTP City & Guilds level 2
BTEC Certificate of achievement in computer programming

Derby College of Art. June ‘93
DTP (Quark Xpress) (short course)

City Poly London. June ‘92
DTP (Pagemaker) (Short course)

Additional Information

I like to spend my spare time with friends, enjoying an active social life. I also enjoy working on my Mac at home, which I find a great way to unwind, letting me create and experiment in ways I would be unable to do any other time. It is also a fantastic opportunity to keep ones self up to date with new software and developments.

I am an Administrator for b4print a recent start-up web site for the global prepress community.

My other interests include classic British motorcycles.