Chapter One

Then & Now: The Roles and Responsibilities of a Shop

According to the text, Print Productions with Adobe Creative Suite Applications, the introduction of the Apple desktop broke barriers within the design world. The world that was once filled with people who had specific jobs and separate duties became a melting pot of careers full of multi-tasking and double dipping. Designers, who were once dependant on the talents and skills of others to produce their work, can now produce a finished design ready to print. This is a great leap from a time when the designer relied on the prep workers at the color trade shop to follow the colors indicated on the design.

Sales/Customer Service Representative

           
        With only zero to three years of industry experience needed, Customer Service Representative is a starting point for many career seekers. It is vital to have great personal skills when doing a CSR’s job because CSRs are the company’s connection to the customer. A CSR position usually includes tasks like processing orders, preparing correspondence, and personally working with the customer. The median salary range for a CSR position in the United States is $30,437 with $24,952 being on the low side and $38,310 ranging on the high side.

Job description and salary range found at:

http://swz.salary.com/SalaryWizard/Customer-Service-Representative-I-Job-Description.aspx

http://swz.salary.com/SalaryWizard/Customer-Service-Representative-I-Salary-Details.aspx

Estimator

            Requiring a bachelor’s degree and up to two years experience in the related field the job title of Estimator belongs to many of those starting out in the career world. Organization skills are a must for this position, when the company’s budget could depend on the ability of the Estimator to be accurate. Estimators plan out the cost of projects, putting together information and details to figure the final estimated cost of a specific project or design. The median salary range for an Estimator position in the United States is $48,616 with $36,574 as a low and $67,443 as a high.

Job description and salary range found at:

http://swz.salary.com/SalaryWizard/Estimator-Job-Description.aspx

http://swz.salary.com/SalaryWizard/Estimator-Salary-Details.aspx

Preflight Technician

            Most Preflight Technician positions require training in the graphic communications field, specifically adequate knowledge of design software. Preflight Technicians take incoming jobs for the company and inspect each one for accuracy and completeness. Basically, his or her position makes sure that everything is packaged properly for the next step in the process. The median wage of a Preflight Technician is approximately $16.84 an hour with the lowest pay being $10.01 per hour and the highest pay grade being $26.30 per hour.

Job description and salary range found at:

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos230.htm

Prepress Operator

            Prepress Operators have a multitude of tasks ranging from problem solving to production. Prepress Operators work with Preflight Technicians to make sure jobs are prepared for printing and then prepare the printers for the job. The duties of the Prepress Operator vary widely due to the many different types of printers he or she is preparing to work with. Training and a degree is required to work with advanced equipment. The median wage of a Prepress Operator is $15.46 per hour with a low pay grade of $9.13 per hour and the highest at $24.98 per hour.

Job description and salary range found at:

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos231.htm

Imposition

            According to the text, Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications, the process of “placing individual pages of a multipage document in the correct position for final printing” is called imposition. Imposition is necessary for printing, making the most of the substrate that is to be printed on.

Raster Image Processor

            In short, a raster image processor, also known as a RIP, is the mode of transportation a file takes to reach the printer or output device. A costly, but very much needed computer software and hardware combination.

Trapping

            Trapping is the creation of overlapping boundary lines of color between two separate colors on print. Trapping reduces color gaps during the printing process.

Die Cutting

            Dies are metal forms set in particular shapes used to make unique cuts. Die cutting combines pressure and these metal dies to make the cuts. Some printers can do die cutting, but it can also be hired out to be done by another company.

Information and Image Source: Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications