At no point in history has there ever been a more exciting time to be in the graphic
communications industry. Our ability to manage, move, store and reproduce information
is greater today than it was five years ago. What makes it great for someone thinking
about starting a career in our industry is the shortage of knowledgeable people who
are able to change with the times. Over half of the people employed by the printing
industry are over 50 years of age offering great opportunities for young people to
enter and advance.
More than 80 percent of the printing companies in the United States employ less than 50 employees. This allows graduates of Ferris State University's Printing and Digital Graphic Imaging Technology, Printing Management, and New Media Printing and Publishing programs excellent opportunities to stay close to the technology, people and business operations. Average starting salaries range from $30,000 to $39,000 a year. Companies around the USA employ Ferris State University graduates for a wide array of tasks.
Today's printer is responsible for a lot more than putting ink on paper. The creation and generation of high-resolution digital graphic files and the distribution of those images via Local and Wide Area Networks, the Internet, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM are all part of the printer's job. There is a job for just about everyone with an interest in working with their hands, mind, and an interest in creative problem solving.
A graduate from the New Media Printing and Publishing program is not only trained in electronic page layout and imposition, color image editing and digital print pre-press workflow, they bring another level of skills to the workforce. Web page design and authoring, Java programming language, computer network and file server maintenance and administration, digital press output and advanced digital workflow training make graduates from the New Media Printing and Publishing program highly desirable employees for the future of the printing industry.
