Print Technician
Ryan is a Number One Printer at De La Rue
I work at a company that prints the base layer for banknotes, which are used in countries all over the world, from the UK to places in Africa, Asia and Australia.
My job is to keep the printing machine running smoothly, fix problems quickly and make sure the quality is right.
If I don’t do my job properly, the notes won’t be usable, so we help keep the world’s money system running.
One of the best things is the problem solving. I enjoy figuring things out when something has gone wrong and getting the machine back on track.
I also really like the people I work with. We’re a close group and a lot of us are friends outside of work, which makes long 12-hour shifts much easier. We have a laugh and support each other.
Another big bonus is the time off. Even though the shifts are long, I get around four or five days off regularly, which is great.
Problem solving is the biggest skill in my job. If something goes wrong and you can’t fix it, the whole process stops or produces waste. My role is basically to react quickly and keep everything running.
Being practical is also really important. You need to spot problems before they happen and stay on top of things, otherwise you end up creating bigger issues for yourself.
Communication is key as well. I work with printers, assistants and an ink technician, and if we’re not communicating properly, nothing runs smoothly. You need a good connection with your team, so everyone is working towards the same goal.
We work really closely as a team, and it’s a supportive environment. I don’t treat anyone differently, we’re all just a group working together.
A lot of us are friends outside of work too, which makes a big difference. It means people feel comfortable asking questions, helping each other and sharing knowledge. We also learn from other teams and engineers, so there’s always someone to turn to if you need help.
I really like the register system we use – it uses sensors and light to check that everything lines up correctly on each part of the machine.
You feed data into it, and it helps control where everything prints so it all matches up perfectly. It also gives feedback, so you can see if anything is slightly off.
I enjoy using it and explaining it to others – it’s a good mix of technology and hands-on work.
These days, I play a lot of golf, usually with my dad, my brother or my friends. I’m not amazing at it, but I enjoy it.
When I was younger, I played a lot of football and watched it all the time. I still support Bury and go to matches when I can.
At school, I was really into sport, especially football and badminton. Outside of school, I spent a lot of time playing football or gaming with my friends.
I wasn’t someone who enjoyed sitting still for long periods, which is probably why a more practical job suits me better now.
The biggest achievement for me is becoming a Number One Printer. I’m actually the youngest one in my workplace, even though there are people there with 30 years more experience than me.
It made me feel like I must be doing something right and that people trust me to lead and make decisions.
Before I started, I had no idea how money was printed. These days, it’s not paper – it’s actually a clear plastic called polymer, and the notes are printed in stages across huge machines.
We also print money for countries all over the world, not just the UK.
In the future, I’d like to become a process leader. That role involves overseeing multiple machines and teams, rather than just one.
I’d also like to do extra training, like a NEBOSH qualification, which helps with managing teams and safety.
When you’re younger, it’s normal not to know what you want to do. Just keep going – you’ll find the right path eventually.
Everything works out in the end, even if you just fall into something like I did.
Discover what qualifications you’ll need, how much you can earn, and what the next steps are.
