AWARDS
Heiko Riecken named LIA NSW Heidelberg Graduate of the Year Heiko Riecken from Industrial Print in Lithgow sets an example for other apprentices as the 58 year-old proves that age is no matter in education
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eiko Riecken has been named as the recipient of the LIA NSW Heidelberg Graduate of the Year Award at a ceremony held at Industrial Print in Lithgow. An apprentice at the mature age of 58, Riecken started his career at Industrial Print in 1991 after marrying into the family and joining the business. He has since worked for the company for 25 years, including a four-year break. Riecken was entered for the award by his TAFE NSW teacher, Terry Nolan, in December 2019. “Heiko is a highly skilled operator, and everything he does is very precise. It is hard to match the accuracy and quality of what he does,” Industrial Print general manager Steve Scott said. “We have one other apprentice who is in the second year of TAFE, and we value
tradesmen, so like to put apprentices on and train them up ourselves.” According to Riecken, he hopes he can set an example for other apprentices. “It is an amazing privilege, it is unplanned and unexpected to have this recognition. I hope other older and mature workers in the industry go for their trade certificate,” he said. “I enrolled in TAFE for Certificate Three run printing as I wanted to have a Trade Certificate because I have never had any formal qualifications. It was wonderful to go to TAFE and fill in the gaps that I still had in the theory, chemical conductivity, PH levels and also colour management and digital printing, which I did not have a good grasp of. “To me, it was challenging and also very helpful for my practical execution
Heidelberg’s Savas Mistakidis presenting the award to Peter and Steve Scott from Industrial Printing
34 | AUSTRALIAN PRINTER SEPTEMBER 2020
All practicing social distancing: (l-r) Visual Connections’ Peter Harper, Heidelberg’s Savas Mistakidis, TAFE NSW’s Terry Nolan, Industrial Print’s Heiko Riecken, Industrial Print’s Steve Scott, LIA’s Angus Scott, Visual Connections’ Mitch Mulligan
of my printing tasks and gave me a broader spectrum of different types of printing I had not been involved in. “Printing is a wonderful field of technology and skill and experience and we have seen it change over the last 25 years, but it is still a very important part of the industry in Australia. “There will always be colour put on some sort of substrate, and even though it seems like the printing industry is decreasing, there will always be printing, packaging, signage and books. “It is worthwhile to learn it and worthwhile to participate.” Riecken’s first job was on a Ryobi 522PF press. Heidelberg A/NZ managing director Savas Mystakidis congratulated Riecken on winning the award, adding that it is a
(l-r) Heidelberg’s Savas Mistakidis with LIA NSW Heidelberg Graduate of the Year winner and Industrial Print’s Heiko Riecken
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