Printing SA is launching a Digital Printing Course developed for the digital sector, and is, according to the organisation, the first course of its kind in the country. The course consists of seven stand alone modules, which allow people from the industry to select the modules they would like to attend instead of attending the full courses from one to seven.
There are two target audiences: one is aimed at individuals employed in the industry and the other at individuals new to the industry.
The aim of the course is to increase the flow of individuals into the industry through a Digital Skills Pool. Printing SA will manage the advertising, screening, selecting and recruitment of unemployed candidates to be taken through psychometric testing and then all modules from one to seven. Once they have completed the courses, they will be offered to the industry to be employed in the sector.
The course is set to be launched in October 2015, only in Johannesburg, other regions will be launched in 2016.
The modules include the following:
1. Introduction To Digital Printing
• This course will cover the brief history of developments/progressions in digital printing.
• It provides an overview of and introduction to the different digital printing processes and applications – e.g
– History and Development in Digital Printing
– Workflows
– Digital Printing Processes
– Origination
– Colour
– Machine types (wide/medium vs narrow format, inkjet and laser printers etc)
– Media
– Pre-handling and post-handling
– Plastic sheeting/plastic film
– Inks
– Finishing
– Occupations
2. Colour
• Basics of colour including: colour matching, colour profiling/applying colour profiles and understanding colour.
– Introduction to colour
– Colour Perception
– Temperature and Ink
– Colour chart and standards
• Split Between Wide/Medium Format and Narrow/Sheet Fed Digital
3. Media
– Different media types and uses (outdoor and indoor)
– Reel control
– Stock rotation
– Storage and maintenance
– Environmental impact/footprint
– Quality Control
– Media and Substrates
4. Inks
– Different types of inks
– Application and matching to different media / machines
– Health and safety – different inks on different media and possible health risks
– Environmental impact/footprint (VOC emissions)
– Effects of Inks on finished products
5. Overview Of Machines
– Various Machine types
– Printer functions, capabilities and limitations
– Maintenance
– Life span
– Safety
– Quality control
– Environmental impact/footprint
6. Finishing
– Introduction to binding & booklet making
– Cutting/Blades and other finishing products
– In-line, off-line and near-line
– Covering for narrow format finishing
– Introduction to Quality control
– Introduction to wide format finishing processes
– Safety
7. DTP and File Design
– Desktop publishing
– Desktop tools and resources
– File Format
– RIPS (Raster Image Processor)
– Variable Data
– Pre-flighting, impositioning and proofing
Course dates will be announced soon. For more information contact Shallon Mphasane at shallonm@printingsa.org.
