Jenkins Freshpac Systems, production manager Ross Craig has won ‘Trainer of the Year’ at this year’s Pride in Print awards. The company was also named as a finalist for ‘Training Company of the Year’.
Ross Craig joined the company in 2000 and is responsible for training numerous apprentices, senior printers and pre-press and finishing staff. He works one-on-one with them to develop their skills and encourage growth right across JFS’s printing team.
Tony Sayle, President of Print NZ and managing director of Jenkins Freshpac Systems said Ross is extremely passionate about his role. “Ross has the industry running through his veins and is extremely passionate about ensuring the highly specialised and advanced plant he oversees turns out first-rate product. His humble approach and natural empathy for people is a winning combination.”
Jamie Lunam, general manager at JFS, said that building a highly skilled workforce is key to the printing industry’s future. “All of our departments have training budgets annually, and the various managers work hard to ensure their respective teams maintain their existing skills and develop new ones. While there are clear benefits to having well-developed employees, JFS is a company that genuinely likes to see their people grow as those benefits reach far beyond the tangible ones delivered on the shop floor or in the field.”
The judges praised the company’s overall approach and Ross Craig in particular for having worked his way up through the industry and passing his wisdom onto others to ensure they succeed.
“Ross spends substantial time encouraging trainees in the workplace, setting high standards, balancing the needs of the company with the requirements for trainees to undertake specific tasks, and ensuring they are achieving their goals,” added general manager of Print NZ Ruth Cobb. “He also undertook yet another qualification himself this year to continue his own passion for learning. He has talked the talk and is walking the walk.”
The news comes just months after Jenkins Freshpac Systems was crowned the supreme winner of the 2018 Westpac Tauranga Business Awards.
