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Prepress Technicians and Workers

Format and proof text and images submitted by designers and clients into finished pages that can be printed. Includes digital and photo typesetting. May produce printing plates.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Enter, position, and alter text size, using computers, to make up and arrange pages so that printed materials can be produced.
    • Maintain, adjust, and clean equipment, and perform minor repairs.
    • Maintain, adjust, and clean equipment, and perform minor repairs.
    • Operate presses to print proofs of plates, monitoring printing quality to ensure that it is adequate.
    • Operate and maintain a variety of cameras and equipment, such as process, line, halftone, and color separation cameras, enlargers, electronic scanners, and contact equipment.
    • Arrange and mount typeset material and illustrations into paste-ups for printing reproduction, based on artists' or editors' layouts.
    • Examine photographic images for obvious imperfections prior to plate making.
    • Generate prepress proofs in digital or other format to approximate the appearance of the final printed piece.
    • Select proper types of plates according to press run lengths.
    • Operate and maintain a variety of cameras and equipment, such as process, line, halftone, and color separation cameras, enlargers, electronic scanners, and contact equipment.
    • Punch holes in light-sensitive plates and insert pins in holes to prepare plates for contact with positive or negative film.
    • Proofread and perform quality control of text and images.
    • Perform "preflight" check of required font, graphic, text and image files to ensure completeness prior to delivery to printer.
    • Enter, store, and retrieve information on computer-aided equipment.
    • Mix solutions such as developing solutions and colored coating solutions.
    • Examine unexposed photographic plates to detect flaws or foreign particles prior to printing.
    • Mix solutions such as developing solutions and colored coating solutions.
    • Scale copy for reductions and enlargements, using proportion wheels.
    • Analyze originals to evaluate color density, gradation highlights, middle tones, and shadows, using densitometers and knowledge of light and color.
    • Set scanners to specific color densities, sizes, screen rulings, and exposure adjustments, using scanner keyboards or computers.
    • Perform minor deletions, additions, or corrections to completed plates, on or off printing presses, using tusche, printing ink, erasers, and needles.
    • Examine finished plates to detect flaws, verify conformity with master plates, and measure dot sizes and centers, using light boxes and microscopes.
    • Enter, position, and alter text size, using computers, to make up and arrange pages so that printed materials can be produced.
    • Operate and maintain laser plate-making equipment that converts electronic data to plates without the use of film.
    • Activate scanners to produce positive or negative films for the black-and-white, cyan, yellow, and magenta separations from each original copy.
    • Perform tests to determine lengths of exposures, by exposing plates, scanning line copy, and comparing exposures to tone range scales.
    • Operate and maintain laser plate-making equipment that converts electronic data to plates without the use of film.
    • Maintain, adjust, and clean equipment, and perform minor repairs.
    • Operate presses to print proofs of plates, monitoring printing quality to ensure that it is adequate.

    Skills

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    4
    Workplace Documents
    4
    Graphic Literacy
    4

    Abilities

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    Knowledge

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

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    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 44080/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 21.19/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 1,280
    • Yearly Projected Openings 160

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Cooperation
    • Initiative
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Independence

    Tools

    • Automated film processor
    • Densitometers
    • Desktop computers
    • Digital cameras
    • Digital image printers
    • Electronic media or data duplicating equipment
    • Flexographic printer
    • Lithographic equipment
    • Photogravure printing machines
    • Plotter printers
    • Printing presses
    • Scanners
    • Stackers
    • Thermal transfer printer for commercial printing applications

    Technology

    • Desktop publishing software
    • Document management software
    • Graphics or photo imaging software
    • Internet browser software
    • Internet protocol IP multimedia subsystem software
    • Office suite software
    • Optical character reader OCR or scanning software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Video creation and editing software

    Tags

    • InDemand occupations are considered a priority by the state of Ohio.
    • Apprenticeships are available for this occupation. These programs can help you get hands-on experience and build your skills.
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