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Careers in Print: Pre-production

Careers in Print: Pre-production

Careers in Print: Preproduction – Episode Summary

In this insightful episode of The Print University, Ryan McAbee and Pat McGrew take viewers behind the scenes to explore the essential, often underappreciated roles in the “front of house” of a print business—sales, customer service, estimating, and scheduling. Whether you’re creating printing industry training programs for new employees, preparing print shop employee onboarding templates, or offering outsourced training for print production staff, this course provides a real-world look at the people and processes that ensure every job flows smoothly before ink hits paper.

Pat and Ryan compare the print shop to a restaurant, where the “front of house” team handles customer-facing interactions and job preparation. They walk through four key preproduction roles:

  • Salesperson – Master storyteller and customer detective, guiding buyers to the best-fit solutions.

  • Customer Service Representative (CSR) – The “air traffic controller” who communicates with clients and manages job progress.

  • Estimator – The data-savvy gatekeeper of profitability, translating specs into accurate pricing via MIS or ERP systems.

  • Scheduler/Planner – The enforcer of efficiency, balancing job priorities, equipment availability, overages, and deadlines.

Each role requires unique superpowers—from active listening and multitasking to intuitive cost analysis and time management. For new hires or career changers, this episode is a fantastic introduction to how print shops function and the opportunities available in preproduction.

You Will Learn:

  • Core responsibilities and required skills of sales, CSR, estimating, and scheduling roles

  • How each position supports the workflow and profitability of a print business

  • Tools used: MIS/ERP systems, planning boards, estimating modules

  • The importance of cross-functional communication and automation readiness

  • What traits and training matter most for success in preproduction jobs

Who This Course Is For:

New hires, team leads, educators, HR managers, and operational trainers building printing industry training programs for new employees, print shop employee onboarding templates, or cross-training content for outsourced training for print production staff

Time to Watch:

Approx. 30 minutes