Graphic Communications A Wide Open Field Say Industry Professionals

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Graphic Communications A Wide Open Field Say Industry Professionals
by Terese Loeb Kreuzer

Fifteen years ago, "graphic communications" would have simply meant anything that could be printed. Today, the definition is more complex. Graphic communications can mean anything that can be communicated either in print or with digital imaging. However, due to outdated public perceptions and low awareness of the industry, many companies are having a difficult time attracting and recruiting young people. On June 6th, industry leaders and post-secondary representatives gathered at the Borough of Manhattan Community College to discuss career opportunities in this rapidly changing field, and the skills required for successful careers.

Among New York State employers, printing and publishing is the second largest industry with almost 4,000 establishments, generating sales of $9.7 billion. These businesses employ almost 80,000 people. This figure includes sales and clerical support and people involved in shipping and handling as well as pressmen, binders, strippers and others who work directly in production.

However, these figures do not capture the number of people employed in businesses related to graphic communications, which is even larger. Every major financial institution in New York City, for instance, has an in-house communications division whose employees are not included in the numbers above. Major department stores such as Macy's and Bloomingdales also have in-house graphics departments said Annette Wolf Bensen of AnGen Services, one of the forum panelists. Lord & Taylor employs more than 70 people in its art department, she said.

In fact, many organizations have their own in-plant, pre-press departments that are not reflected in the printing industry statistics. The United Nations, for example, has a printing department that can produce printed materials from start to finish. The U.N. spends more than a million dollars annually on printing plates alone, according to Lloyd Carr, Associate Professor at NYC Technical College/CUNY, who chaired the forum.

In addition to these traditional printing and publishing occupations, there is now a big need for Web page designers and producers. Jack Powers, Director of the International Informatics Institute gave an example: The New York Times prints around 1.6 million copies, he said, but there are 10 million people signed up to read The New York Times on the Web.

"Every time a new machine or software package is invented, you get a new occupation which is really an old occupation with a new skill set," said panelist Jim Brown, a Labor Market Analyst with the New York State Department of Labor.

What this means is that one way or another, there are large numbers of jobs in the Graphic Communications industry, although many are likely to be different jobs than they were in the past.

Brown said that technical and creative salaries have been rising in the Graphic Communications field. However, he added that, "We still have a pool of more traditional Union jobs that are not growing as fast."

A Pre-press Supervisor can expect to earn $85,600 annually, for instance, while a press operator, one of the lower paying jobs in the industry is likely to earn $35,963.

The panelists discussed the skills needed to enter this industry. An understanding of the vocabulary of graphic communications is necessary for even an entry-level job in printing and publishing. In addition, students who understand the production process and how each step relates to the others have a big advantage both in obtaining their first job and in advancing.

In a rapidly changing field, the ability to learn new skills and the willingness to do so is essential. According to Jim Brown, "You always need people who understand and can work with the latest technology."

In addition to "hard skills," all who work in graphic communications will need "soft skills" — the ability to work as a team, the ability to communicate both orally and in writing, and the ability to do basic math.

Annette Wolf Bensen gave some examples of how these skills may be needed. "If you're in sales, you have to be able to make a customer comfortable with the production process, and some of it will be quite technical. If you're a bookkeeper, or a customer service rep or someone who handles billing or estimating, you have to be able to do math. If you're in management or customer service, you have to be able to communicate with suppliers and customers in writing."

New York City is fortunate to have several high schools that offer specialized programs in graphic communications. The only school entirely dedicated to this field is the High School of Graphic Communication Arts, which has been teaching printing in New York City for 76 years. Lloyd Carr, moderator of the Printing and Graphic Communications Forum called it "a great resource" because of its staffing and equipment. Other high schools that have career and technical programs in graphic communications are Bushwick, McKee, Edison and Curtis.

Students who attend these high schools have the opportunity to learn the basics of the graphic communications business, which may then qualify them either for on-the-job training or for post-secondary education.

"Many employers are willing to do their own training if people have background knowledge of the industry," according to Lyne Etienne, Market Research Associate at The Institute for Business Trends Analysis, Borough of Manhattan Community College.

Richard Krasner of Tanagraphics, Inc. amplified on this by saying, "We prefer to teach people internally as to what we want them to do rather than having them come to us with a rigid skill set. We do want people to learn skills before they come to us, but we want them to be open to not doing it their way so that we can work as a team."

Krasner adds that "Students will need post-secondary training (not necessarily 'higher education') if they want responsible jobs in the printing industry." They can continue to take courses at places such as the Association of Graphic Communications in Manhattan, which is open both to members and non-members. Tanagraphics, said Krasner, will pay for the cost of this additional training, and he says that many other information services companies also offer this benefit.

Jim Brown says that young people wanting to get into graphic communications on the creative side (as opposed to production), sometimes take internships for little or no pay. "A lot of people want in," he says, "particularly in the fields of broadcasting, magazine publishing and advertising. It's not obvious looking at your academic credentials that you have what the employer wants."

These internships typically last from six months to one year, he said.

For young people who are seeking internships while still in high school, Krasner advised that, "You have to show that you're interested in the industry." If someone comes with some knowledge of what they want, and doesn't simply say, "I'm looking for a job," they are more likely to be well received.

"You have to go out and sell yourself," said Krasner.

The Printing and Graphic Communications Industry Forum was co-sponsored by the New York Citywide School to Work Alliance, the Advisory Council for Occupational Education of the Board of Education of the City of New York and The Institute for Business Trends Analysis of the Borough of Manhattan Community College.

For a detailed report on the Forum, call the New York Citywide School to Work Alliance at 212-803-3334.

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