Back to School Print for Further Education Colleges.
For further education colleges, the back-to-school print window is shorter than it looks. September feels far away in June. By August, it isn't.Prospectuses need to be in the hands of prospective students before open days. Course notes and apprentice manuals need to be printed, collated, and ready for day one. Signage needs to be refreshed before staff return from leave. The colleges that get this right are the ones that brief in July, not August.
What Does Back to School Print for Further Education Colleges Actually Cover?
The range of print required across an ETB further education college in the lead-up to September is broader than most people realise. It’s several often with different deadlines and different stakeholders.
Here’s what colleges are ordering right now:
Prospectuses and Course Brochures
Your prospectus is the most important marketing tool your college produces. It needs to be full-colour, professionally finished, and in circulation before your open day. A poorly printed or late prospectus and course brochures for further education colleges across Ireland. From design to delivery, we handle the full run.
Course Notes and Apprentice Manuals
Printed, collated, and delivered in sets, everything your students need on day one. Course note and apprentice manuals are among the most time-sensitive items we produce. Delays here don’t just inconvenience your team; they disrupt the student experience from the very first day.
Our 24-hours digital print service means we can turn these around fast when needed. However, as with all print, the earlier you brief, the better the result.
Signage & Vinyl’s
Indoor and outdoor. Directional signage for new students, updated department boards, campus banner, and window vinyls – your campus needs to be ready before the first week back.
Our outdoor signage and indoor signage services cover everything from large-format PVC banners to precision -cut vinyls and wayfinding systems. If your campus signage hasn’t been refreshed in a while, September is the right moment.
Why Order Back to School Print in July?
Well, August doesn’t give you enough time – not really!
Ordering early gives you time to review proofs, request amendments, and have everything confirmed and in hand before staff return from leave. It also means that if someone needs to be adjusted, you have room to do it without panic.
At Sooner Than Later, our 24-hour digital print service is built for exactly the moments when the timelines tighten. However, for longer print runs, bound materials, and
s, and anything requiring specialist finishing, earlier is always better. The colleges that brief us in July are the ones who go into September prepared.
According to ETB Ireland, there are 16 Education and Training Boards operating across every county in Ireland, each managing a network of further education colleges, training centres, and schools. That’s a significant volume of print required across the sector every September — and the providers who plan ahead get the best results.
What to Have Ready When You Brief Your Print
Getting your back to school print order moving quickly is straightforward when you come prepared.
Here’s what helps:
Artwork: Supply your files in vector format (AI,EPS, or high-resolution PDF) where possible. For documents like prospectuses or course notes, supply a press-ready PDF with bleed and crop marks included.
Quantities: Know your numbers before you call. Approximate is fine to start. but confirmed quantities move things to production faster.
Deadlines: Tell us when you need it and we’ll tell you honestly whether that’s achievable. We won’t promise what we can’t deliver.
Collation and delivery requirements: Course notes delivered in class sets? Signage shipped to multiple campus locations? Let us know upfront and we’ll build it into the job.
Plan Your September Print Now, Before the Rush Begins
Back to school print for further education colleges isn’t something to leave to the last minute. The prospectuses, course brochures, apprentice manuals, and signage that make September run smoothly all take time to get right.
Get in touch with the team at Sooner Than Later today and let’s get your September print sorted, before the rush begins.
