Working In The Industry
- The Printing Sector
- Printing Sector Jobs
- Supply and Demand
- Print Sector Qualifications and Skills Development
- Desktop Publishing (DTP) and Graphic Design Work
- Pre-Press Work
- Printing in Colour - How Colours Combine
- Machine Printing Work
- Print Finishing, Hand Binding and Manufacturing Work
- Print Administration Work
Pre-Press Work
Digital pre-press is one of the fastest growing career fields of today's print sector. Highly skilled in the use of digital images, these employees work with data provided by the customer, on computer disc or via email. Pre-press technicians complete tasks that format content, so it fits the size of the paper stock the printer wishes to use. The paper size used for the majority of printed reading material is known as A4. The largest size in this range is A0, (841 X 1189 millimetres) and the smallest is A8 (52 X 74 millimetres).There is also a B range, which is used for posters and lithographic printing, where outputs are trimmed after printing is complete. The C range is used for envelope manufacture.
Today's modern computer packages and printing technology continue to change the work of the pre-press technician. These changes are fuelled by continued business investment in research and development (R&D). At present many pre-press technicians use phototypesetting technology, for composition work, but this is rapidly being replaced by computerised digital imaging technology. The development of digital imaging has meant many customers can now provide printers with content that looks close to the finished product they want produced.
