The Occupational Information Network (O*Net) is the nation’s primary source of occupational information and plays a key role in determining funding for career and technical education programs. The update should have taken place in mid-July, but according to sources those changes will now be posted in September, due to other industries that have nothing to do with the printing profession descriptions.
Industry representatives have been working since 2007 to get the Labor Department to make the changes to the printing jobs. While a change in job descriptions on a government website may seem minor, Ted Ringman, VP of development at the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF) — one of the groups who helped push for the changes — suggested it was a key part of an effort to change the public’s perception of printing as an old-school, blue-collar occupation.
"The O*Net updates for the printing industry cover the areas of pre-press, press, and bindery and one of the greatest challenges for the graphic arts industry is attracting, then educating bright young people," Ringman told PrintWeek. "Often we find that career influences are based on old and outdated information of what printing is and what a printing shop looks like. Today, graphic communication is a highly technical and very sophisticated industry experiencing rapid change. As an industry, we need to get the message out to students that there are exciting career opportunities available."
A better understanding of what printing jobs are today will also help when the time comes for the government to provide funds for training and educational programs. "Having current and accurate printing industry job descriptions listed on O*Net is a critical issue," Ringman added. "Students and their parents looking for a solid career need data that is up to date and presents a fair picture of the industry. High schools, technical schools and colleges rely on job descriptions that show a positive image for a highly technical industry to help secure funding in a challenging educational budget environment."
