Establishing national skills standards, recruitment, training and retention seen as some of the crucial workplace strategies at First Annual CPISC Forum.
The message came across loud and clear—act now or the printing industry in Canada will suffer in the future.
Leaders in the printing industry, human resource and marketing professionals, salespeople, government and union representatives, and educators gathered at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel in Toronto on June 18 for the First Annual Canadian Printing Industries Sector Council (CPISC) Forum. The day-long event focused on the huge challenges facing the printing and graphic communications industry in Canada, with particular emphasis on lifelong employee training and competing in a global marketplace.
For the past year, CPISC has been working relentlessly, formulating strategies to help Canadian printers identify and implement human resource and workforce development initiatives. Incorporated in April of 2006, CPISC is one of over 30 sector councils currently in operation. Funded by the Government of Canada through the Department of Human Resources and Social Development, it brings together employers, employees, unions, educators and government to provide a national forum for collaboration to achieve industry improvements.
Keynote speakers at the Forum were Bernd F. Schopp, Head of the Heidelberg Print Media Academy, Heidelberg, Germany, and Martina Brand, Marketing Director, Heidelberg Print Media Academy. They provided a revealing global perspective on the competitive advantages of lifelong employee training—a factor, they say, that could spell a printer’s future success or failure in the industry. Established in 2000, the Academy provides support and training to improve the printing industry worldwide. It has facilitated lifelong learning and raised the skill levels of employees in the printing industry around the globe. It’s currently working in 170 countries and partnering with over 250 agencies to assist over 200 000 print shops.
Quoting Benjamin Britten, Bernd told the audience that learning is like rowing against a current—once you stop, you start to drift back. “Our experience with print shops in various countries tells us that your staff and managers must be properly trained to be successful. To keep pace with technology, you must train your employees on an ongoing basis,” he insisted. “Today, too many printers use training only in emergency situations. All they see is an additional cost—or too much of an employee’s time spent away from the presses. They must think long-term. It’s an investment in the future.”
He warned that emerging markets, such as China, will represent huge competition to North American printers because they’re placing tremendous emphasis on training employees to the highest skill level possible. “Their approach is quite different,” says Bernd. “They tell us up front that they want to build the most modern training facilities and have the most highly skilled workforce. Canada must do more, and take a systematic approach to employee training—and that involves making it a management process. It should be long-term and planned. Printers should ask themselves what competencies are necessary not just for today, but for the future,” he added.
Bernd stressed that training may also pose a risk on the part of management. “I do realize, however, that many of you have to deal with the problem of training an employee, then worrying whether that person will jump ship and flee to the competition. The best way to combat this is to create an atmosphere of loyalty by creating opportunities for advancement—and that includes keeping employee skill levels high.” He said that employees will appreciate the fact that you show enough confidence in them to give them advanced training. This approach also applies to the machinery area. Employees feel more empowered, more confident and will likely be more loyal if they know how the press works, not just what icons to click on the computer.
Bernd cited four key strategies for success:
1. Make skills training part of your shop’s ongoing management plan.
2. Always use the most up-to-date technology.
3. Use this technology to improve productivity and provide a better, more economical product to the customer.
4. Retain the best employees—that is, only those willing to learn as the technology changes.
MARKETING APPROACHES ESSENTIAL
Martina Brand, the Print Media Academy’s Marketing Director, then told the audience that they must also know how to market their company and its services, in addition to maintaining employee training. “Traditionally, printers have been in sales and not marketing,” she said. “This must change in order to compete in today’s competitive environment. I can assure you that there will be little or no success without a strategic plan.” Brand pointed out that the rapid pace of technology has led to such things as growth in digital and inkjet printing, digital photography, the integration of digital and offset, database management, workflow and colour management, and more. These are now vital to the success of most printers, she said, but you must also have the marketing savvy to identify new opportunities. Some strategies in re-thinking or re-inventing your business, if you’re a traditional printer, might include becoming a one-stop shop, being a market leader in a specific product segment, becoming a hybrid printer or workflow specialist, or even a WWW agency.
Another key to success, she says, is to determine those customers from whom you make the most money and who are loyal to your company. Then, target the companies and individuals that have similar attributes. Re-invent your company as the market demands—just analyze what you’re best at, and proceed accordingly. Also, promote and educate yourself. Attend tradeshows and educational seminars and pass that knowledge along to your staff. Also, turn equipment and software over every 3 to 4 years.
After a short break, CPISC Executive Director Marie Eveline reviewed the Council’s goals and accomplishments during its first year. The list was impressive and included suggestions such as launching its bilingual website, establishing partnerships with educational and training organizations, expanding links with federal and provincial government organizations and seeking funds from these organizations. But the most important contribution, from the point of view of the average Canadian printer, is likely the goal of establishing a set of national core skills and standards for employees in the industry in areas such as pre-press, press and finishing/bindery. This will not only help employees be more mobile, but will assist employers in determining staff skill levels.
BLUE COLLAR JOB, WHITE COLLAR EXPERTISE
Another key area will be recruitment of employees by enhancing the industry’s image. The Council will develop a number of tools (such as a brochure on career options in the industry and a virtual tour of a printing facility) to make the industry more attractive to today’s young graduate. Many students currently view the industry as a gray-haired, blue-collar environment, but the truth is that many shops today must be high-tech to compete—and employees must possess an extremely high skill level. Also very important will be the development of labour market intelligence, says the Council, so anyone interested in the printing industry in Canada can access statistics and anecdotal information.
This should also help recruit young people.
After a lunch break, a panel of experts examined the specific problems facing the Canadian market. While panelists came from different segments of the industry, they all grappled with similar issues—training, recruitment, employee retention, education, machinery, escalating labour costs, low entry-level salaries, and low profit margins. But the consensus was that now is the time to act—to improve the image of the industry, invest in lifelong training, create an atmosphere of loyalty in-shop and work with educators, unions and government organizations to achieve goals. Fortunately, the CPISC, thanks to the hard work of its members, is already clearing a path, forging new alliances and strategies to help the Canadian printer achieve success. One example: The partnership with the Heidelberg Print Media Academy and its participation in this first-ever, eye-opening annual Forum.
After the panel discussion, attendees engaged in small group discussions to identify areas and issues that needed to be addressed by the Council over the next year. Rest assured that industry feedback will be a major starting point for future Council decisions and the establishment of future programs. For more information visit: www.cpisc-csic.ca.
