What the media is saying:

Think Ink…
A possible career choice?
Many people proclaim that they experience great delight in work that involves a hands-on approach. This physical element is definitely present in the numerous phases of the printing trade. Where else can you combine the excitement of creating a flyer or poster on a computer, burning the plate, mixing the ink, and then actually printing the job by the thousands on a press? Humans seem to have an instinctive desire to put ink on paper. “Remember the fun you had drawing and colouring as a child, painting pictures, and learning to write the alphabet,” says Jill Lougheed, Rosemount Technology Centre teacher and former small printshop owner. “Even cavemen drew primitive symbols on rock to represent significant events. We somehow have a need to communicate via print.”

So think ink! This has become a campaign slogan that was conceived by a student to encourage people to consider a career in the Digital Layout and Printing field. Rosemount Technology Centre (RTC), one of the largest professional career centres on the island of Montreal, offers this 12-month tuition-free training program. Courses are authorized and subsidized by the Quebec Ministry of Education, Leisure, and Sports with the possible availability of loans, bursaries, or other financial aid. Programs lead to a Ministry of Education diploma (DEP).

Students in the Digital Layout and Printing program learn all aspects of the printing trade—from computer layout to offset- and silkscreen-press operation, as well as finishing- and bindery-equipment use. “Upon completion of this program, the students’ understanding of the entire printing process, equipment maintenance, paper, inks, film, and application software will enable them to enter the world of printing with confidence. And the hands-on experience will give them an advantage in gaining employment,” says Harold Penn, Digital Layout and Printing Coordinator.

According to Michel Corbière, “Job opportunities are good and will undoubtedly improve, especially in the Press area. Approximately 20% of press workers are now between the ages of 45 and 64—as these workers retire, there will be a need for replacements. Salaries for highly-skilled web and offset press operators are greater than you may think.”

Deep Patel, a student about to complete RTC’s Digital Layout and Printing course, is “…excited by the prospect of running my own printing shop after graduating and completing my stage. I will have learned a great deal about this field as I have also taken the 16-month Computer Graphics course given here at RTC.” In a small print shop, Deep will be able to experience the satisfaction of taking a job from beginning to end. “And I already have some potential clients waiting for me to open up shop!” he announces.

At Rosemount Technology Centre, the largest English-language career centre in Quebec, the student clientele is very diversified—from various age groups, ethnic backgrounds, and life and work experiences. Roger Bonyad was employed in the silkscreening and embroidery field. “I decided to broaden my horizons, so I am currently taking Digital Layout and Printing to learn new techniques in layout, graphic design, and offset printing.”

Another student, Mervin Dennon Murray, had always taken pleasure in putting ink on paper. “Mervin is an enthusiastic illustrator, and is now discovering the computer as a new vehicle for placing his creations on paper. At the same time, he’s learning the techniques of using layout software to combine these drawings with text and position them attractively on a page,” says Michel Corbière.

Digital Layout and Printing teacher Tony Leone lists various employment possibilities that students can choose from at the end of the course. These include Web and Offset Press Operator, Gathering and Collating Worker, Print Broker, Finishing Shop Worker, Manual Screen Printer, or Printing Plant Manager, as well as jobs on the pre-press (computer) side. Mr. Leone explains, “Students find stages and employment in large companies such as Quebecor and Transcontinental or in smaller print shops.” According to Mr. Leone, these companies place tremendous emphasis on the soft skills such as good attitude, punctuality, and a willingness to learn. These skills are keys to success in finding and keeping a job.

If you are interested in learning how to combine text and images on a page, take the layout through the various processes to prepare it for the press, mix the inks, and finally print the job on the press (and possibly do binding), the Digital Layout and Printing course will give you the training to do all this. This program, offered through the English Montreal School Board, is open to all residents of Quebec who have completed Grade 10 (Secondary 4) or equivalent. Information on training in this career can be found on the RTC website: www.rosemount-technology.qc.ca, or telephone (514) 376-4724.

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