Canon Solutions America’s University Inkjet Program Marks Five Years of Providing Students Real-World Experience

Providing real-world experience to complement classroom instruction can bring classroom learning to life and give students insight into what a career in the printing industry would be like. Canon Solutions America, a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., continues to support programs with this sentiment in mind, including the fifth year of the University Inkjet Program that works to help develop the next generation of printing industry professionals.

The University Inkjet Program, launched in 2019, offers students practical experience and insight into modern print industry trends and practices. Through collaborative activities, students can see first-hand how the business of production printing operates to gain a better understanding of inkjet technology, production print service providers, and how the industry continues to evolve. The list of higher education institutions that are part of the program includes Arizona State University (ASU), Clemson University, and Rochester Institute of Technology.

Canon Solutions America customer District Photo has demonstrated a continuous commitment to University Inkjet Program’s educational mission by hosting a field trip for ASU students for a second consecutive year. The global company has plants in the United States, Europe, and Australia, handling a range of complex jobs from photography printing, ink printing, sublimation, and publishing, among others. Recently, District Photo added a new ProStream 3000 that can deliver offset quality with industrial speed, inkjet flexibility, plus a host of innovative processing technologies. This has helped to bolster a fleet that already included the ProStream 1800 continuous feed inkjet printer, empowering one of the largest print fulfillment companies in the world to continue to thrive. District Photo, founded in 1949, operates a global fleet of eight ProStreams. Due to its inkjet growth, the company is looking to expand and take on new applications and business opportunities.

“Staying at the forefront of technology is important in our industry, and both the ProStream 3000 and ProStream 1800 have helped us grow as a company in meeting the diverse needs of our customers,” said Dominic Cabrera, site director, District Photo. “We also feel it is important as members of the print community to give back by assisting the next generation of industry professionals. To that end, we are proud to host students from the University Inkjet Program and provide an insight into the field by giving first-hand accounts to show what they can expect when entering a career in this field.”

The University Inkjet Program has helped approximately 300 students learn about—and consider pursuing—a career in print production following graduation.

“We are very proud that the University Inkjet Program hit its five-year milestone and continues to help provide opportunities for students to gain valuable, practical experience in the printing industry,” said Francis McMahon, executive vice president, Production Print Solutions, Canon Solutions America, Inc. “We are thankful for our customers like District Photo who continue to be so generous with their time and resources to help educate and show what is possible in pursuing a career in this field.”

Canon Solutions America’s Production Print Solutions, through the University Inkjet Program, has complemented ASU’s Graphic Information Technology (GIT) 250 Introduction to Commercial Print course, with the Canon University Inkjet virtual program-learning management system that allows students to revisit topics on an as-needed basis. Canon has streamed lectures and virtual tours and has also facilitated the showcasing of commercial print technology from its offices in Boca Raton, Florida. Additionally, students have had the opportunity to experience production inkjet and toner presses through the Canon Americas Customer Innovation Center.

Patricia Perigo, a faculty associate who teaches ASU’s GIT 250 course, said the online resources and the opportunity for students to see the equipment first-hand has helped reinforce the material covered in the classroom.

“Our field trip with the Canon team to District Photo showcased the ProStream in action on a commercial print job. This has been an immersive and excellent complement to our curriculum,” Perigo said. “The relationship with the Canon team has brought another tangible real-world experience to our Graphic Information Technology program that extends our own ASU Print and Imaging Lab rotation. The overall training and knowledge each student retains is a bonus for our GIT program. To end the semester with a solid understanding of the Digital Commercial Print Industry through a personal interaction with the Canon University Inkjet Program has been a worthwhile process.”

ASU’s Inkjet Program is built on a well-established relationship between Canon and the university, which includes a managed print program in place since 2007. The association began with the goal of helping ASU become carbon neutral by 2025, a goal the university reached six years early, in 2019. As part of the initiative, Canon Solutions America replaced multiple desktop inkjet printers with fewer multifunction copiers across campus and helped the university switch to 100 percent recycled paper in all student print devices. Canon Solutions America also supports sustainability projects and other philanthropic engagements at the university, while ASU continues to invest in Canon camera technology.

Arizona State University, Clemson University, and Rochester Institute of Technology also utilize Canon camera technology.

Source: Canon Solutions America