This summer, I had the opportunity to visit the Printing Industries of America (PIA), in Sewickley PA, and partake in a yearly Teachers’ Update. Over a dozen educators from across North America participated in this weeklong event, lead by Joe Marin, senior analyst, Digital Technologies. It was a lively group, teaching in many different programs ranging from high school to university. The days were full of information from PIA experts on topics relevant to training future leaders for our industry.
Among the many great presenters were Mark Bohan who spoke about JDF, as well as how you can strategically repurpose one diagram to tell many different stories; Greg Radencic who discussed standardization with as much enthusiasm as he could muster; and Julie Shaffer who spoke about social media, a topic on which she is authoring a book. There were many other highly informative sessions. I’m sure you can catch some of these speakers in Chicago this October.
The program offers an amazing opportunity for educators to connect to industry as well as network with one another. It is subsidized by the PIA, allowing many who would normally not have a chance to go, to partake. A great way to invest in training future leaders for the printing industry. A big thank you to our Updates’ fearless leader, Joe, and the PIA!
This month, we will continue in the same vein of learning. Ian Baitz, the recently named chair of the School or Graphic Communications Management will take you through some key topics in flexographic printing, from press technology to ink and substrate. Whether you are looking to enter this market, or just understand it a bit better, this month’s article is a great place to start.
Another must read article is the Graph Expo – a sneak peak. Kristen will take you through some of the most anticipated booths at the expo. Pay attention to some of the new innovative events and pavilions. Here you will explore areas like newsprint, transactional printing, and many other opportunities to diversify. In tandem with Graph Expo, you will also be able to check out the G7 Summit hosted by IDEAlliance. Hopefully it will be less chaotic than the G20 in Toronto. Though I have seen days where simple calibrations make people want to throw a brick!
For those of you attending the show, I would love to hear your thoughts when you return. For those of you staying put, make sure you take a look at our post-show article!
