Youth Apprenticeship Program

Belmark•De Pere, WI

About The Position

Assist with prepress or shipping department duties for Belmark’s Flexible Packaging, Pressure Sensitive, or Folding Carton business units. The role provides mentored on-the-job training in producing Pressure Sensitive Labels, Folding Cartons, or Flexible Packaging. Training positions may include Plate Mounter, Ink Technician, and Makeready Technician. The apprentice works with assigned mentors to build proficiency, follows safety guidelines and operating procedures, and maintains a strong attendance record. Work is typically 20–30 hours per week during the 2026/2027 school year, scheduled flexibly around the student’s school schedule. Pay is $18.00 per hour. Plate Mounter duties include mounting plates onto cylinders according to the production schedule, protecting plates and cylinders from damage, and washing plates from completed jobs. Ink Technician duties include mixing ink to match color standards, delivering ink and varnish to presses, proofing and measuring colors, maintaining accurate formulas, and keeping the ink room orderly. Makeready Technician duties include preparing equipment and materials for press setup, assisting press operators with setup, operation, and cleanup, and maintaining the production area. The apprentice may assist in other departments as workflow requires, report prepress issues to the Production Prepress Manager, package and stage printed products, support order processing and shipping deadlines, assist with basic press setups, and complete paperwork or computer entries. Other duties may be assigned by a manager or supervisor.

Requirements

Must be currently enrolled in high school and be a junior or senior; requires education equivalent to two years of high school.
Regular attendance is critical and expected.
Ability to use English effectively in writing, speaking, and reading.
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide whole numbers, decimals, and fractions.
Ability to operate a computer.
Ability to maintain nearly constant concentration and attention to detail.
Ability to formulate work plans, prepare written materials, and articulate goals and action plans.
Ability to read, comprehend, and follow written and oral instructions.
Ability to meet deadlines; may be required to work some overtime.
Ability to communicate and answer questions in a professional and friendly manner.
Ability to resolve problems, handle conflict, and make effective decisions under pressure.
Ability to give, receive, and analyze information.
Ability to identify and distinguish colors.
Ability to stand and walk for 90% of work time and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl for 10% of work time.
Ability to see clearly at 20 inches or less, observe an area up and down or to the left and right while keeping eyes fixed on a point, judge distances and spatial relationships, and adjust focus.
Ability to use hands for 100% of work time, reach above shoulders for 50% of work time, and use feet to operate machines for 30% of work time.
Ability to lift up to 10 pounds for 30% of work time, up to 25 pounds for 30%, up to 50 pounds for 25%, and up to 100 pounds for 15%.
May be required to use sense of smell.

Responsibilities

Follow all safety procedures and Safe Quality Foods requirements.
Comply with Belmark operating procedures and work instructions.
Work with assigned mentor(s) to build proficiency in each training area.
Mount plates promptly according to the production schedule, and ensure plates and cylinders are not damaged.
Wash plates from completed jobs.
Mix ink using the appropriate formula to match set color standards, preparing only the quantity needed for the job.
Deliver required ink and varnish to presses using the Ink Queue System.
Proof inks against established DE targets using a hand proofer and Measure Color system; update formulas for accuracy.
Maintain the appearance of the ink room.
Ensure appropriate equipment and materials are at the press before setup, following job instructions.
Assist press operators with press setup, operation, and cleanup as instructed, including tasks such as stacking sheeted product, refilling solvent bottles, changing rolls, and cleaning ink stations.
Maintain the production area, including washing ink pans and doctor blades, removing garbage, and sweeping floors.
Assist in each department as workflow directs.
Report prepress issues or concerns to the Production Prepress Manager.
Package, label, and stage printed products in a timely manner to meet customer needs.
May package printed products and process orders by scheduled ship dates.
May perform Press Operator Assistant duties and basic job setups.
May complete paperwork and computer entries throughout a job.
Maintain regular attendance and meet deadlines.
Perform other duties as assigned by a manager or supervisor.