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Certificate III · national qualification

Certificate III in Printing

This qualification trains people to work as print machinists, the operators who set up and run printing presses and digital printers.

Compare 4 providers
Illustration of a person working as printer
How long it takes
3 years
full time at TAFE NSW
How you can study
On campus or on the job
Main job
Printer
$73,200 median pay
Taught by
4 providers
NSW, VIC, QLD

Is this course right for you?

What the Certificate III in Printing asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • an interest in how printing presses and machines work
  • a careful eye for detail when checking printed work
  • patience for setting up and adjusting equipment
  • a practical approach to solving problems as they arise

Before you start

The qualification has no set entry requirements, but each provider can add its own.

Where this course can take you

Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.

Jobs you can do with it

  • Pre-press Operator

    Pre-press operators turn finished artwork into files a printing press can run, checking pages, images and colour before anything goes to print.

    What else you need

    Completed as a printing apprenticeship, which needs an employer. The award covers pre-press and digital file preparation among other print skills. Check that the provider's version covers the pre-press units you want. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.

    Median pay$62,400 (estimate)

  • Printer

    Printers set up and run the presses that turn artwork files into finished books, packaging, labels and commercial print.

    What else you need

    Usually completed as an apprenticeship with a printing employer. The award is a trade qualification, not a licence. Check the provider and which printing stream it covers. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.

    Median pay$73,200

  • Screen Printer

    Screen printers push ink through a fine mesh stencil to print onto garments, signage, glass and plastics, which suits short runs and awkward surfaces that other presses handle poorly.

    What else you need

    Usually completed as an apprenticeship with an employer in the print industry. Check that the provider's version includes the screen printing specialisation. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.

    Median pay$59,800 (estimate)

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure.

Where you can study this course

There are 4 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.

What you’ll learn

21 units: 5 that everyone takes and 16 you choose.

  • Setting up and running printing presses
  • Digital and screen printing
  • Preparing materials and stock
  • Checking print quality
  • Fixing production problems
  • Safe and sustainable work practices
See all 5 core units

Core units

Everyone completes these. Select a unit to see what it covers.

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Questions to ask before you enrol

Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.

  1. When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
  2. What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
  3. Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
  4. Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?

Questions people ask

Who is this qualification for?

It prepares you to work as a print machinist, setting up and running printing presses and digital printers. You learn to prepare materials, monitor output, fix unpredictable problems, check work against customer standards and keep the area safe. It suits someone already on a press or a new starter moving into print production.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

The qualification itself has no entry requirements. Individual providers can set their own conditions, so check with the provider you choose.

Related courses

The national training register, training.gov.au. TAFE course pages, read 20 September 2026. Google reviews. Pay and shortage status from Jobs and Skills Australia.