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Careers in Print: Production

Careers in Print: Production

Careers in Print: Production – Episode Summary

In this hands-on, behind-the-scenes episode of The Print University, Ryan McAbee and Pat McGrew spotlight the real-world heroes who make up the production floor of a print business. Perfect for printing industry training programs for new employees, printing technician certification online, or creating print shop employee onboarding templates, this course walks through the essential job roles that keep presses running and print on time.

The episode introduces key roles in production, each described as having “superpowers”:

  • Print Operations Manager: The conductor, planner, and motivator who keeps jobs moving, teams aligned, and chaos under control.

  • Prepress Operator: A software-savvy technician who preflights files, manages color profiles, prepares imposition layouts, and adapts designs for substrates from vinyl to wood.

  • Print Equipment Operator: The mechanical-minded professional who controls, adjusts, and maintains presses—often juggling multiple devices while spotting color and print quality issues in real time.

  • Finishing Equipment Operator: The final production gatekeeper, responsible for precise cuts, folds, and binds—especially important when working with older, manual equipment still common in shops.

  • Warehouse/Shipping Operator: The logistics expert who manages inventory, shipping schedules, and emerging robotic or barcode-driven fulfillment technologies.

Each role plays a vital part in production success. Whether overseeing Gantt charts, ensuring perfect folds, or coordinating last-mile deliveries, these professionals make sure quality jobs go out the door on time and on budget.

You Will Learn:

  • Job descriptions, skillsets, and career paths for production-focused print roles

  • How modern print shops use technology, automation, and even robotics across production

  • Why prepress, printing, finishing, and warehouse staff must collaborate for job success

  • How color, quality, file prep, and mechanical expertise influence the final product

  • What traits (gamers, problem-solvers, team players) thrive in each production position

Who This Course Is For:

New hires, team leads, production managers, trainers, and HR professionals developing printing technician certification online, print shop employee onboarding templates, or outsourced training for print production staff

Time to Watch:

Approx. 30 minutes