Central Texas College instructor, Bobbi Waddle conducting her graphic communications class
2021 SkillsUSA Graphic Communications National Competition Winners Announced
Are You Ready for Digital Production Specialty Inks?
Those print providers with capabilities to produce high-quality CMYK plus fluorescent, white, gold, silver inks over the next 12 to 18 months will have a significant opportunity to capture increased margins and new business.
As we continue to transition out of a Covid economy, printers are looking to expand their offerings. Adding specialty inks has allowed print providers to move more short-run projects from offset to digital.
As always, the challenge is educating and marketing new capabilities to new and existing accounts. Many buyers and influencers currently do not know about the value of specialty inks.
Those print suppliers who are engaging customers now will reap the rewards of a fast-growing market segment. Some of the samples and applications of special ink printing with an expanding complement of substrates we have seen are sensational.
Like any other new game-changing capability in printing, there is always a start-up curve.
We have identified 19 readiness self-assessment areas for print providers who want to enter this market.
Organizational Readiness
Documented Marketing Plan Created
Specialty Ink Opportunities Identified
Organization Adaptability
Ability to Execute
Growth Strategy
Organizational Alignment
Pricing
Creative & Marketing Support Readiness
Can Demonstrate Creativity and Innovation
Cross Media and Variable Data Capabilities
Creative Capabilities
Specialty Ink Press Capabilities
Operator Skills
Specialty Ink Workflow Readiness
Sales/Customer Service Readiness
Sales Training
Customer Communications Plan Developed
Specialty Ink Value Proposition Developed
Ability to Manage Customer Expectation
Strategy to Influence Creatives
Sales Compensation Aligned
If you are planning to invest in digital equipment with specialty inks or are having start-up issues, feel free to let us know. We have a full range of training and Agency resources to support you. Just send a note to Frank Kanonik at fkanonik@intellectives.com.
Essentials for a Graphic Communications CTE Program
Facing a demand for skilled workers in the Graphic Communications Industry, schools are adding printing and graphic arts programs. The move to digital printing technology and platforms, new printing applications and the retirement of older workers have created an enormous need for skilled workers.
Based on our work with schools and vocational institutions around the country, we see six essential program elements when building a great CTE, vocational, or STEM printing and graphic arts program.
1. Committed and Skilled Instructor
No program can be successful without a great instructor. Most have a graphic design or printing background.
We have seen some amazing teachers in many states that have created creative and exciting programs. LaVista High School’s highly successful program in Fullerton, CA led by instructor Henry Sandoval is not only motivating students with graphic art applications but is providing them valuable and transferable skills.
2. Industry Linked Curriculum and Instructor Resources
Since the industry is growing and changing rapidly, institutions should make sure they are building programs aligned with current industry requirements.
Fortunately, there are resources available within the Graphic Communication’s community. Print Ed, a printing industry association, provides standards, accreditations and skill competencies for use in the classroom. Also, technical education leader, SkillsUSA provides assessment tests and competitions for High School students.
Xerox offers an industry-aligned curriculum through their Xerox® Digital Career Pathway Program for its customers. Our company, Intellective Solutions, provides a robust set of instructor resources and services to help schools launch their programs. Our resources and tools are used by vocational and CTE programs across the country.
3. Consistent Reinforcement of Life Skills
Most successful CTE and Vocational programs ensure their students are ready for employment by adding or integrating life skills into their programs. At Hudson Community Enterprises in Jersey City, having strong Life Skill training and reinforcements in addition to a robust graphic communications curriculum has resulted in benchmark student employment results.
4. Aggressive Business Development
We have seen schools connect with local commercial printing companies, in-plant printers, and marketing organizations. Students armed with certification and portfolio are in great demand.
For those students who want to continue their education in advanced graphic communication in College level courses, the industry provides scholarships to encourage continued education. The Industry needs design, database, engineering and supply chain workers and managers too. The Print and Graphic Scholarship Foundation (PGSF) provides approximately $500,000 in scholarships every year to high school students. PGSF also provides financial help to workers currently employed in the graphic communications industry that are attending classes part-time.
Local trade associations and PIA affiliates hoping to respond to their memberships are eager to help. For example, the Printing Industries of New England (PINE) supports the schools and institutions in their area at job fairs. Christine Hagopian, President of PINE, has made education and student skill development a priority for her organization.
5. Program Accountability
Program accountability is the number of students who complete the program and are able to gain high wage employment or move on to higher-level graphic communications education. Great vocational programs and CTE institutions regularly report to their administrators and grantees their success rates.
There is an enormous need for skilled workers in this industry. Most schools that have implemented courses and programs will have little problem ensuring their graduates gain opportunities.
6. Relevant Technology
The best news is most institutions already have professional workstations, Adobe creative software programs, and high-speed digital production printers. By providing students access to current software and equipment, they become “job-ready” and potential employers find their skills very attractive.
Many institutions have implemented programs to use their current internal printing operations as classrooms, simulating real-life work environments for their students.
The Graphic Communications Industry is a huge opportunity for vocational, CTE and STEM schools to provide the foundation needed for students to obtain valuable life skills and training. The industry is a high tech and constantly changing world that provides plenty of opportunities for high pay and advancement.
If you have any questions or need information, contact me, Joe Rickard, at https://www.intellectives.com/contact
Virginia Department of Education updates Graphic Communications skill competencies
Frank Kanonik, managing director of Intellective Solutions recently participated in a workshop to update the Commonwealth of Virginia’s graphic communications skill competencies. The courses being taught in the Commonwealth are now aligned to the new PrintED skill competencies.
The Virginia Department of Education conducts periodic reviews of the technical knowledge required by potential employers. Bringing together educators and industry representation confirms that the graphic communications courses being taught throughout Virginia will lead to students being prepared for todays high skill, high demand and high wage careers in the print industry.
It was extremely encouraging to work with such a dedicated group of teachers that equips their students with the skills required to be successful in the printing industry. What students need to know is different from even a few years ago. Courses being taught today must reflect the newer technologies being used.
During the workshop, each skill competency, also known as a Task Statement was discussed to ensure that it was both measurable and expressed a specific action that was being learned. Also developed was a description of each task to help the educator and questions to help encourage critical thinking and discussion.
An example of a Task Statement is the following:
#72 Explain the purpose of Imposition
Definition:
Explanation should state that the purpose of imposition is the positioning of pages in a way so that the pages in the finished format document come out in the proper printed sequence and should include step-and-repeat, work and turn or tumble, and signature.
Process/Skill Questions:
What are the consequences of incorrect use of imposition on a document?
How has digital printing technology affected imposition?
How would a work-and-Turn imposition differ from a work-and-tumble imposition?
How does imposition for saddle stitch binding differ from imposition for perfect binding?
The recently updated PrintED Skill Competencies were researched and managed by Intellective Solutions. Interviews were conducted with numerous educators, printing companies and vendors to validate their completeness and accuracy. To download a free copy of the Skill Competencies, visit: www.gaerf.org/printed.
To learn more about the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Career and Technical Education department’s efforts and success stories, visit www.cteresource.org/about/
PrintED offers assistance and accreditation for schools that offer graphic communication courses. www.gaerf.org/PrintED
For information on the Intellective Solutions newly available Introduction to Graphic Communications curriculum visit: www.intellectives.com/stem.
Printing students win medals at SkillsUSA National Competition
During the week of June 25 over 16,000 students, teachers and business partners gathered in Louisville Kentucky for the 54th annual National Leadership and Skills Conference. More than 6,000 outstanding career and technical education students, all state contest winners, competed hands-on in 100 different trade, technical and leadership fields. Students worked against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in occupations such as electronics, computer-aided drafting, precision machining, medical assisting, culinary arts and graphic communications. Contests are run with the help of industry, trade associations and labor organizations.
Graphic Communications students started the week with a general assessment based on the Graphic Communications Skill Competencies provided by PrintED, and the SkillsUSA Career Essentials Assessments provided by SkillsUSA. Intellective Solutions is proud to have been involved in the research and authoring of both.
Later in the week, each student competed by estimating projects, completing prepress work and printing and binding jobs. Each student was assessed by an industry expert. Gold, Silver and Bronze medals were awarded to High School and College winners. Of special note is that Brittany Whitestone is going on to Russia to represent Graphic Communications at the WorldSkills Competition.
It was both invigorating and reassuring to see students preparing for their future in our industry. It was obvious that the schools they attended had prepared them well for the testing in Louisville. They knew how to estimate projects and were well versed on the business side of the printing industry. They had genuine excitement about starting their careers and bringing new ideas and innovations to our industry.
SkillsUSA (skillsusa.org) is a national membership association serving high school, college and middle school students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations.
PrintED, administered by the Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation (GAERF®) is a national accreditation program, based on industry standards, appropriate for secondary and post-secondary schools offering graphic communications curricula (http://www.gaerf.org/PrintED.aspx).