I was contacted late last week by a writer hired by the Canadian Printing Industry Sector Council (CPISC).  She’s writing content for a role playing game for elementary school children: A Day in the Life … of a Pressman, or Bindery Operator, or Pre-Press Technician. The writer asked for input and I sent her a fairly detailed “day in the life of a bindery operator” activity list.

What resonated for me in putting the activity list together was that the key activities focused on the ability to read carefully, check (and double check), organize, communicate, lead, make decisions, set up and run equipment. Specific equipment knowledge is of course important; but equally important are communication skills, leadership and decision making skills, planning and organization skills.  These are attributes we look for in all of our employees (and that we’ve found in the long term employees who work at Pacific Bindery Services Ltd.).

The goal of the CPISC project is to raise the profile of Print as an occupation at a very early age … if children find the industry challenging and fun they will be more likely to want to work in the Printing Industry.