The preparation, care, and operation of printing presses are the responsibilities of printing press operators. In a small commercial shop, an operator may run simple equipment and learn through on-the-job training; the operator on a giant newspaper or magazine press is a highly trained and experienced worker with several assistants.
The press operator sets up and adjusts the press, inserts type setups or plates and locks them into place (typesetting), adjusts ink flow, and loads paper-by hand on a small press, with mechanical assistance on a large one. When printing is complete, the press operator or an assistant cleans the press and may oil it and make minor repairs.
Press operators are usually designated according to the type of press they operate: letterpress, gravure, or offset. Offset press operators are further designated as sheet-fed or web-press operators. (Web-fed presses use paper in giant rolls instead of single sheets.) Companies that switch from sheet-fed to web-fed presses must retain their entire press crew since the two types of presses are very different. Web-fed presses are very large, operate at faster speeds, and require greater physical effort, monitoring of more variables, and faster decisions than sheet-fed presses.
Most printing press operators work for commercial printing shops and newspaper plants. The remainder work for businesses, manufacturers, and other organizations that have their own in-house printing facilities. This includes many federal, state, and local government agencies.
Places of Employment and Working Conditions
Printing press operators work throughout the country, but employment is greatest in large cities.
Pressrooms are noisy, and press operators are subject to the hazards that go with working around machinery. Many printing companies have two or three shifts, and press operators may be required to do a certain amount of shift work; press operators who work for morning newspapers almost always work night shifts. Press operators often stand for long periods, and some presses require lifting of heavy plates and paper.
Qualifications, Education, and Training
Mechanical aptitude is important for a press operator. Physical strength is needed for some jobs.
High school courses in chemistry and physics are helpful. Printing shop classes can provide valuable experience.
Some printing press operators acquire their skills through on-the-job training or a combination of training and vocational or technical school courses. Many operators, however, complete a formal apprenticeship program.
An apprenticeship lasts from two to five years depending on the press being learned. In addition to receiving on-the-job instruction, the apprentice must complete related classroom or correspondence-course work.
Potential and Advancement
Best opportunities in the future will be for offset, gravure, and flexographic operators. Advancement usually takes the form of learning to operate a more complex press. In large shops, some press operators move up to supervisory positions.
Income
Earnings for printing press operators depend on the type of press on which they work, the area of the country in which they live, and whether they belong to a union. According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual wage for printing press operators was $37,000 as of 2015.
Additional Sources of Information
- Education Council of the Graphic Arts Industry
- Graphic Communications International Union
- Printing Industries of America Inc.
