UK
How you’d get it

How you’d get this certificate

  1. Zavmo teaches you. You learn the units one-to-one with an AI tutor, on your own work.
  2. You register with an approved centre. That is a college, training provider or employer GQA Qualifications Limited has approved to offer this qualification. Zavmo is not an approved centre, so you register with them, not with us.
  3. The centre assesses, and GQA Qualifications Limited awards. A qualified assessor at the centre judges your evidence, and the certificate comes from GQA Qualifications Limited.

More on studying for a qualification

01What it is

Aimed at those in machine printing roles, this Level 2 NVQ certificate enables learners to show occupational competence. The qualification covers setting and running guillotines and over-printing machinery, as well as making photopolymer plates for flexographic printing in manufacturing environments.

These are the units GQA Qualifications Limited registers against this qualification. It is a catalogue, not a syllabus. Which of them you take depends on the combination the qualification requires, and that is set by the awarding body rather than by us. Every unit here is regulated. Zavmo teaches towards them on your own work.

Zavmo is not an awarding body, is not an approved centre, and is not affiliated with GQA Qualifications Limited. It does the teaching and the mapping. GQA Qualifications Limited sets this qualification and awards it, and a qualified human assessor makes the assessment decision.

02The units

What each unit actually teaches you to do

Communicating and Working with Others in the Print Working Environment Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
You'll develop communication and teamwork skills within a print working environment. The unit covers sharing relevant information clearly with colleagues, responding promptly to requests, and understanding the importance of good working relationships for effective teamwork.

What you'll be able to do

  • Know what information to share with colleagues regarding your job role, understanding the importance of clear and concise communication for effective teamwork.
  • Share information with colleagues using appropriate communication methods, ensuring clarity and understanding.
  • Know why it is important to respond promptly to requests from colleagues, recognising the impact of timely responses on workflow and productivity.
  • Respond promptly to requests from colleagues, prioritising tasks and managing time effectively.
  • Know why good working relationships with colleagues are important and how barriers to this can be overcome, understanding the benefits of collaboration and addressing potential conflicts.
  • Develop and maintain good working relationships with colleagues, demonstrating professionalism, respect, and effective communication skills.
Keep Equipment Clean and in Working Order for use in the Printing Industry Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
This unit focuses on maintaining printing equipment by teaching learners how to clean machinery, remove contaminants, and perform routine maintenance. You'll also understand the use of cleaning materials and safe disposal of waste to ensure equipment remains in working order.

What you'll be able to do

  • Keep printing equipment clean, removing any debris, ink, or other contaminants according to workplace procedures.
  • Keep printing equipment in working order by performing routine maintenance tasks and reporting any faults or malfunctions promptly.
  • Keep printing equipment clean and in working order to ensure optimal performance and longevity.
Knowledge of the Organisations Printing Processes and related information Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
You'll understand the organisational structure of a printing company, including departmental roles, products produced, equipment used, and printing processes within their department. The unit promotes awareness of interdepartmental interactions and responsibilities.

What you'll be able to do

  • Know the departments within the organisation.
  • Know the area of responsibility for each department within the organisation.
  • Know the products produced by the organisation.
  • Know the types of equipment used within the organisation for print related work.
  • Know the printing processes used within the department(s) worked in.
  • Know the printing operations used within the department(s) worked in.
Maintain Health and Safety within a Print Related Working Environment Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
You'll gain knowledge of health and safety legislation, regulations, and guidelines relevant to the print working environment. The unit includes hazard identification, risk assessment, and the implementation of safe working practices.

What you'll be able to do

  • Know which health and safety acts apply to the print working environment.
  • Know which health and safety regulations apply to the print working environment.
  • Know which health and safety guidelines apply to the print working environment.
  • Carry out an assessment of hazards in the print working environment.
  • Carry out an assessment of risks in the print working environment.
  • Know the types of hazards that can occur in the print working environment.
  • Know the types of risks that can occur in the print working environment.
  • Identify hazards in the print working environment.
  • Assess risks in the print working environment.
  • Adopt safe working practices.
  • Adopt safe working practices.
  • Adhere to safe working practices.
  • Ensure there is no unauthorised access to the working areas.
  • Ensure there is no unsafe access to the working areas.
  • Know what to do in the event of accidents.
  • Know what to do in the event of emergencies.
Make lithographic printing plates Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
You'll learn to produce and maintain lithographic printing plates. The unit includes preparing materials, following correct procedures, inspecting plates for quality, and understanding maintenance and storage requirements.

What you'll be able to do

  • Produce lithographic printing plates to the required standard
  • Describe how to maintain lithographic printing plates in good working order
  • Explain the process of producing lithographic printing plates
Make photopolymer plates for flexographic printing Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
You'll develop the skills to prepare and process photopolymer plates for flexographic printing. The unit includes selecting materials, following processing procedures, checking plate quality, and understanding the production steps involved.

What you'll be able to do

  • Prepare photopolymer plates for printing processes
  • Process photopolymer plates according to specifications
  • Describe the process of making photopolymer plates for flexographic printing
Materials Handling, Transportation and Storage within the Print Working Environment Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
You'll learn to handle, transport, and store materials safely within a print working environment. The unit includes selecting correct materials, adhering to health and safety regulations, and understanding the impact of improper handling on product quality.

What you'll be able to do

  • Identify and select the required type and quantity of materials for a given task.
  • Handle and transport materials in accordance with company guidelines and health and safety regulations.
  • Know the impact of incorrect handling and transporting of materials on product quality and safety.
  • Position and store materials in accordance with organisational procedures to prevent damage and ensure accessibility.
  • Position or store materials in accordance with organisational procedures, ensuring correct labelling and stock rotation.
Output Digital Image Carriers for Print Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
It teaches you to output digital image carriers for print by electronically imposing images using appropriate software and techniques. You'll prepare images for processing and produce image carriers that comply with job specifications.

What you'll be able to do

  • Impose images electronically using appropriate software and techniques.
  • Prepare images for processing, ensuring they meet the required specifications for output.
  • Produce and process image carriers, following established procedures and quality control measures.
  • Produce computer-generated image carriers, understanding the different methods and technologies involved.
Prepare Inks and Coatings for Printing Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
You'll learn to prepare inks and coatings for printing by mixing and matching colours, adjusting viscosity and tack, and storing materials according to company procedures. The unit emphasises the relationship between ink properties and print quality.

What you'll be able to do

  • Mix and match ink to meet the production specification
  • Describe how to adjust viscosity to suit materials or print conditions
  • Describe how to adjust tack to suit materials or print conditions
  • Store inks and coatings in accordance with Company procedures
  • Describe how to prepare inks for printing
  • Describe how to prepare coatings for printing
Prepare Stencils for Printing Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
You'll learn to prepare stencils for printing, including cleaning and inspecting mesh, applying stencil emulsion, and understanding the importance of mesh tension. The unit covers methods for preparing stencils to meet production standards.

What you'll be able to do

  • Prepare the mesh for stencil production
  • Describe how to prepare the mesh for stencil production
  • Prepare stencils for printing production
  • Describe how to prepare stencils for printing
Prepare and Maintain Image Carriers for Printing Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
You'll gain knowledge and skills to prepare and maintain image carriers for printing. This includes cleaning, inspecting for damage, and correctly storing image carriers to ensure their longevity and suitability for printing processes.

What you'll be able to do

  • Prepare image carriers for printing processes
  • Describe how to store image carriers correctly
  • Explain how to prepare image carriers for printing
  • Explain how to maintain image carriers for printing
Prepare and load sheet-fed substrates Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
This unit covers the preparation and loading of sheet-fed substrates for printing. You'll maintain substrate condition, inspect for defects, control environmental factors, and correctly stack and load substrates into machinery.

What you'll be able to do

  • Maintain the condition of sheet substrates to ensure they are suitable for printing
  • Stack and load sheet substrates correctly into printing machinery
  • Describe the procedures for preparing and loading sheet-fed substrates
Set up and run machinery within the Print Industry Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
This unit provides learners with the skills to prepare, set up, and run machinery within the print industry. You'll ensure machines are clean, safe, and correctly configured, monitor performance, and understand different machinery types and their operational procedures.

What you'll be able to do

  • Prepare a machine for production, ensuring it is clean, safe, and ready for operation.
  • Set and run a machine for production, following the correct procedures and monitoring performance.
  • Set up and run machinery, understanding the different types of machines and their operating principles.
Set and Run Die Stamping Printing Machinery Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
This unit covers the preparation and operation of die stamping printing machinery. You'll learn to select appropriate dies and materials, set up machinery according to job specifications, and monitor the stamping process to ensure consistent quality.

What you'll be able to do

  • Prepare die stamping machinery for production
  • Run die stamping machinery effectively
  • Describe how to set die stamping printing machinery
  • Explain how to operate die stamping printing machinery
Set and Run Guillotines Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
This unit covers setting, programming, and operating guillotines according to job specifications. You'll monitor cutting quality to ensure accuracy and consistency while adhering to safety procedures.

What you'll be able to do

  • Set and programme guillotines according to job specifications.
  • Run guillotines efficiently and safely.
  • Monitor the quality of guillotine cutting to ensure accuracy and consistency.
  • Monitor the quality of guillotine cutting to identify and address any issues.
Set and Run ancillary printing machine equipment Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
You'll learn to set up and operate ancillary printing machine equipment effectively. The unit includes positioning, connecting, adjusting settings, and monitoring performance to maintain optimal printing quality and equipment functionality.

What you'll be able to do

  • Set up ancillary printing machine equipment in preparation for use
  • Operate the ancillary equipment effectively and safely
  • Describe the procedures for setting and running ancillary printing machine equipment
Set and Run in-line folding equipment Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
This unit provides learners with the skills to safely set and operate in-line folding equipment. You'll understand different folding types, monitor product quality, make adjustments, and identify common faults during operation to meet production requirements.

What you'll be able to do

  • Set and operate in-line folding equipment
  • Describe how to set in-line folding equipment
  • Explain how to operate in-line folding equipment
Set and Run numbering, bar-coding or inline data printing equipment Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
This unit covers the setup, operation, and monitoring of numbering, bar-coding, or non-impact printing equipment. You'll follow manufacturer and company procedures to ensure equipment meets specifications and maintain print quality during production.

What you'll be able to do

  • Set up numbering, bar-coding or non-impact printing equipment in accordance with manufacturer's instructions and company procedures.
  • Operate and monitor the quality of numbering, bar-coding or non-impact printing during production runs, identifying and rectifying any issues.
  • Set and monitor numbering, bar-coding or inline data printing equipment, including understanding the relevant health and safety requirements.
Set and Run over-printing machinery Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
It teaches you to set up and operate over-printing machinery effectively. You'll identify machine settings, monitor the over-printing process for quality, and make adjustments to meet production requirements.

What you'll be able to do

  • Set up an over-printing machine in preparation for production runs
  • Run over-printing machinery effectively to meet production targets
  • Explain the procedures for setting and operating over-printing machinery
Set and run auto-packing, storage or palletising equipment Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
This unit focuses on setting and operating auto-packing, storage, or palletising equipment according to product specifications. You'll apply safety guidelines, monitor equipment performance, and identify operational issues.

What you'll be able to do

  • Set auto-packing, storage or palletising equipment according to product specifications and safety guidelines
  • Run auto-packing, storage or palletising equipment to ensure efficient and safe operation
  • Set and run auto-packing, storage or palletising equipment effectively
Set and run booklet making machinery Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
You'll be able to set and run booklet-making machinery following job specifications and safety guidelines. The unit covers machine operation, quality monitoring of finished booklets, and adherence to workplace procedures.

What you'll be able to do

  • Set booklet-making machinery according to job specifications and safety guidelines
  • Run booklet-making machinery to produce finished booklets to the required standard
  • Set and run booklet-making machinery efficiently and safely
Set and run in line automated stitch and trim equipment for newspaper and periodical production Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
You'll gain the ability to set and operate in-line automated stitch and trim equipment for newspaper and periodical production. The unit includes understanding machinery settings, safe preparation procedures, and efficient operation to meet production requirements.

What you'll be able to do

  • Set stitching-trimming machinery in accordance with manufacturer's instructions and workplace procedures.
  • Run stitching-trimming machinery to produce newspapers and periodicals to the required quality standards.
  • Set and run stitching-trimming machines safely and efficiently, adhering to health and safety regulations.
Set and run in-line converting or enhancing equipment Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
You'll gain the ability to set and operate in-line converting or enhancing equipment according to job specifications and manufacturer guidelines. The unit covers equipment setup, performance monitoring, adjustment, and understanding of converting and enhancing processes.

What you'll be able to do

  • Set in-line converting or enhancing equipment according to job specifications and manufacturer's guidelines.
  • Run in-line converting or enhancing equipment, monitoring performance and making adjustments as necessary.
  • Set and run in-line converting or enhancing equipment, understanding the different processes and their applications.
Set and run slitting and re-reeling equipment - adhesive label production Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
It teaches you to set and operate slitting and re-reeling equipment for adhesive label production. You'll interpret job specifications, adjust machine settings, and monitor production to produce labels with accurate dimensions and quality.

What you'll be able to do

  • Set slitting and re-reeling equipment according to job specifications and machine capabilities.
  • Run slitting and re-reeling equipment to produce adhesive labels to the required dimensions and quality.
  • Set and run slitting and re-reeling equipment safely and efficiently in adhesive label production, adhering to relevant health and safety guidelines.
Set and use ink drying equipment Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
It teaches you to set up and use ink drying equipment effectively. You'll select appropriate settings, monitor equipment operation, and maintain the quality of dried ink to meet required standards.

What you'll be able to do

  • Set up ink drying equipment for optimal performance
  • Maintain the quality of output from ink drying equipment to meet required standards
  • Describe how to use ink drying equipment safely and effectively
Set and use reel handling equipment Real unit · GQA Qualifications Limited
It teaches you to safely set up and operate reel handling equipment following manufacturer and company guidelines. You'll inspect equipment, ensure safety devices are functional, and manage material flow to maintain continuous production.

What you'll be able to do

  • Set up reel handling equipment safely and efficiently, following manufacturer's instructions.
  • Operate reel handling equipment in accordance with manufacturer and Company guidelines, ensuring smooth and continuous material flow.
  • Use reel handling equipment, understanding its capabilities and limitations.
By email

Free, by email

Is this the right qualification for you?

One email to help you decide: the facts, what it teaches and where to start free. With a link back here. Nothing else follows unless you confirm your address.

Your employer, or 'self-employed'

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03The standards

The national standards these units are built against

What the job actually needs, in the words employers and awarding bodies already use for the work itself.

  • Clean down equipment and replace components

    Standard

  • Comply with company environmental procedures

    Standard

  • Contribute to maintaining equipment in working order

    Standard

  • Control Folding Machinery

    Standard

  • Control In-line Folding Equipment

    Standard

  • Control Multiple Hopper Feeders

    Standard

  • Control Narrow-Web Printing Machinery

    Standard

  • Control Numbering, Bar-coding or Inline Data Printing Equipment

    Standard

  • Control automated stitch and trim processes for newspaper and periodicals print finishing

    Standard

  • Control auxiliary equipment

    Standard

  • Control in Booklet Making Machinery

    Standard

  • Control in-line Insetting-Stitching-Trimming Machines

    Standard

  • Control in-line block-feeding-forwarding-case binding machinery

    Standard

  • Control in-line folding equipment

    Standard

  • Control ink drying equipment

    Standard

  • Control inline automated mail processing machinery

    Standard

  • Control programmatic guillotines

    Standard

  • Control screen printing machines for ceramic manufacture

    Standard

Showing 18 of 81 standards these units map to.

Still deciding?

One email to help you decide: the facts, what it teaches and where to start free. With a link back here. Nothing else follows unless you confirm your address.

04The credits

The credits, and who awards them

Level 2 credits are regulated, and they are awarded by GQA Qualifications Limited rather than by Zavmo. They don’t vanish when a subscription ends or a website closes. They travel to any employer, and Zavmo keeps the map of what you have covered and what is next.

What you would be collecting

Communicating and Working with Others in the Print Working EnvironmentKeep Equipment Clean and in Working Order for use in the Printing IndustryKnowledge of the Organisations Printing Processes and related informationMaintain Health and Safety within a Print Related Working EnvironmentMake lithographic printing platesMake photopolymer plates for flexographic printingMaterials Handling, Transportation and Storage within the Print Working EnvironmentOutput Digital Image Carriers for Print

Each one is a real unit registered against this qualification.

How you’d practise it

You don’t watch this. You do it.

You are not assessed on remembering this. You are assessed on applying it, analysing it, evaluating it and producing something. So that is what the practice is: projects, role play and your own live cases, with a tutor in the room.

The Analyst The Analyst · your map-it-properly tutor Illustration
The Analyst In “Set and Run numbering, bar-coding or inline data printing equipment” you have moved the target from 48 hours to 24. Where does that time come from?
You The team prioritises better, I suppose.
The Analyst Or it comes out of the follow-ups, and reopened cases climb in about six weeks. Let us map it and find out which, before it is a surprise.
The same lesson on the real thing: the conversation in the middle, the thinking ladder on the left, and the criteria each answer is evidencing on the right.
  • Map a live decision Analyse

    “Set and Run numbering, bar-coding or inline data printing equipment” runs on a decision you are facing now. Zavmo maps it with you and shows what the second-order effect looks like before you find out the slow way.

What you leave holding

The standards this credential builds, in the shape the product keeps them

Nothing here is marked learned. There is no learner on a public page, so the map shows what the qualification covers rather than what anybody has done.

See Your Progress Grow Illustration
GQA Level 2 NVQ Certificate In Machine Printing
  • Clean down equipment and replace components
  • Comply with company environmental procedures
  • Contribute to maintaining equipment in working order
  • Control Folding Machinery
  • Control In-line Folding Equipment
  • Control Multiple Hopper Feeders
  • Control Narrow-Web Printing Machinery
  • Control Numbering, Bar-coding or Inline Data Printing Equipment
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Communicating and Working with Others in the Print Working Environment, one of this qualification's own units.

Communicating and Working with Others in the Print Working Environment Level 2

Applied to your own work

Learners will develop communication and teamwork skills within a print working environment. The unit covers sharing relevant information clearly with colleagues, responding promptly to requests, and understanding the importance of good working relationships for effective teamwork.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time. Teaching towards this qualification begins when you subscribe.

Your Plan Illustration

Built for GQA Level 2 NVQ Certificate In Machine Printing

26 units in this credential, in the order it lists them, awarded by GQA Qualifications Limited.

  1. Communicating and Working with Others in the Print Working Environment
  2. Keep Equipment Clean and in Working Order for use in the Printing Industry
  3. Knowledge of the Organisations Printing Processes and related information
  4. Maintain Health and Safety within a Print Related Working Environment
  5. Make lithographic printing plates
  6. Make photopolymer plates for flexographic printing

and 20 more in the full unit list below.

These are the real units of this credential, in its own order. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

Free tools

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Learned on your own work, taught one-to-one.

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The title, level, credits, guided learning hours and unit learning outcomes on this page are taken from the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Where this data comes from.