Success really is a sign of the times
JOBS in the signage industry are growing as the retail and property sectors expand.
Jake Render, 19, from Leeds, is a trainee signmaker at Leading Edge Signage in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, doing a fabrication and welding apprenticeship.
Jake says: ‘I work with a team and create my own solutions to projects that might be for food retail interiors, hospitality and leisure or external signage. I also work closely with designers who ask for advice about what’s structurally feasible or what materials are suitable.’
Matthew Evans, managing director of Leading Edge Signage, which specialises in designing and producing display and graphics for retail, hospitality, leisure and food retail, says 10 per cent of the growing workforce will be made up of apprentices over the next five years.
‘We look for trainees who show a natural skill for welding and fabrication, have a good eye for detail and who are team players. Our projects range from the smallest directional signs to large-scale, illuminated shop fronts.’
Demand for new staff is expected to grow as the signage industry recovers from the recession.
Figures from the Shop and Display Equipment Association (SDEA) show that 54 per cent of its members have seen an increase in sales over the past six months compared with the same period last year, and 70 per cent of members expect sales to increase over the next year.
SDEA director Lawrence Cutler says: ‘Our survey indicates a renewed energy within the shop fitting and display market, which has been building for some time.’
Useful websites to look for employers or signage careers include British Sign and Graphics Association ( or visit