Training and Advancement
Workers enter the printing industry with various educational backgrounds. Helpers generally have a high school or vocational school background, while management trainees usually have a college background. In general, job applicants must be high school graduates with mathematical, verbal, and written communication skills, and be computer literate.
Formal graphic communications programs, offered by community and junior colleges and some 4-year colleges, provide good preparation for entering the industry. Two-year programs provide technical skills, while bachelor's degree programs in graphic arts prepare persons who want to obtain advanced skills or who want to enter management.
As the industry continues to become more computerized, most workers will need a working knowledge of computers. Courses in electronics and computer technology are beneficial for anyone entering the industry, and some employers will offer tuition assistance or continuing education classes. Training in desktop publishing is also becoming more important.
Workers generally are trained informally on the job. The length of on-the-job training needed to learn skills varies by occupation and shop. For example, press operators begin as helpers and can advance to press operator positions after years of training. Bindery workers begin by doing simple tasks such as moving paper from cutting machines to folding machines. Workers learn how to operate more complicated machinery within a few months. Training often is given under the close supervision of an experienced or senior employee. Through experience and training, workers may advance to more responsible positions. Workers usually begin as helpers, advance to skilled craft jobs, and eventually may be promoted to supervisor.
Opportunities for advancement depend on the specific plant or shop. Technological changes will continue to introduce new types of computerized equipment or dictate new work procedures. Workers with computer and mechanical aptitude are especially in demand, so proper training or retraining will be essential to careers in printing.