Gateway Community College (GCC) is offering an exciting new Digital Printing and Production Certificate Training Program. Students can take the skills they’ve learned in desktop publishing – Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and Adobe Acrobat - to the next logical step in the workplace: digital printing, the industry standard for printing in 2013.

Developed in partnership with the Xerox Corporation’s School-to-Career Program, the 10-week certificate training program is comprised of two courses that can be taken sequentially or separately.

“The certification will make a difference in marketability," said Amie Fanning, coordinator of GCC’s Publication Services. "Students can walk into a job interview and say they know digital print production, a very valued skill in the workplace.” Fanning, who has 30 years of experience in printing, pre-press and production, will teach the course.

Those who finish the course and attain certification can seek work wherever there are high-end digital presses – universities, design firms, commercial printers and copy shops. Although many students have learned on Macs in desktop publishing and graphic design courses, it is vital they become adept at using both Macs and PCs because most companies have PCs, Fanning added.  

Training focuses on:

Troubleshooting and learning how to hunt for and fix printer problems
Managing time (those printing need to know how to develop deadlines and printing schedules)
Turning a project from desktop publishing into a printed piece (including a project creating and printing a calendar)
Role-playing, real-world situations
 

Printed pieces from students' design classes will be portfolio worthy. Students can opt to take one or both of the five-week long courses:

Digital Printing & Production I – Black & White: On the Xerox D110, students will learn the foundations, such as how to set up, operate, maintain and finish 1-color printed pieces. The course runs 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 9 – May 7. The certification phase of the course will run again in May.

Digital Printing and Production II: The course expands into color digital printing technology as well as binding and finishing of products. Students work on Xerox 550 & 770 Digital Color Presses. The course runs from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, May 9 – June 6.

Both modules feature classroom instruction and hands-on experience as well as lab practice experience in GCC’s Publications Services. Cost for each session is $459. For more information or to register email Erika Lynch at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 203-285-2080.