Guide to Wide-format Training and Education

One of the best — and for some, most frustrating — parts of the wide-format print industry, and the wider print community in general, is the rapid pace of evolution and innovation. Every season seems to bring new advances somewhere, be it hardware, software, inks, substrates, or techniques. Staying not on top of all those changes, and ahead of the curve, can be a monumental challenge.

Fortunately, the wide-format printing segment has no shortage of educational options to go alongside its vast array of technologies. From in-person to online, from OEM-specific to broad-based learning, there is something for everyone. But finding exactly what you need, when you need it, can be just as challenging as the learning.

This is where Wide-format Impressions comes in. Presented here is a listing of the educational opportunities to help everyone from owners, to press operators, to prepress specialists, to finishing teams, to sales departments — and everyone in between — stay on top of today’s innovations. Whether “old timers” just need a bit of continuing education to stay fresh, or the “newbies” need a crash course in all things print, there are options in the list below that will be a perfect fit.

The list is organized into categories to make it a bit easier to navigate, with links back to each program. So, once you find a few that look promising, you can dig a bit deeper to find the right programs for you and your team members.

This list will be updated over time, so feel free to bookmark this page and refer back to it every time you need a bit of educational muscle. And, if you notice a class or educational opportunity we’ve missed — or that is no longer available — feel free to drop me a note at tmcquilken@napco.com.

Never stop learning!

Association Education

Perhaps some of the strongest overall advocates for education are the associations that make up all aspects of the printing industry. Many of them offer unique and targeted opportunities, depending on exactly what you’re looking for.

PRINTING United Alliance iLearning+: The best place to start with any list of educational opportunities is also one of the newer kids on the proverbial block. Launched in 2022, the platform now boasts a diverse range of online courses that are constantly being updated and added and expanded. It is being used in more than 35 countries and counting, and has courses aimed at everyone: from those brand new to print, to seasoned veterans looking to hone their craft. The platform also has a mix of pure education, as well as certification tracks.
American Graphics Institute: With a focus on graphic design, this organization offers a wide range of courses both online and in-person on everything from design software basics, to advanced courses including video production, web design — and everything in between. The organization also offers private training for those looking for a more targeted training experience.
Chicago Photography School: While it’s likely not the only photography school out there, this one stands out as a great example of what they can offer. Getting better photography means having better material to work with in the design and print phases, so giving anyone on staff with an inclination for photography’s tools and resources can only improve your business.
International Finishing Trades Institute: While most of the education this organization provides is aimed at other professions, it does include a sign and display worker segment that specifically targets those who design, create, and install signs and displays, including neon and screen printing.
Wallcoverings Association: This association targets top installers and manufacturers, and their TecTrac program, in particular, is an in-person annual event that includes intense training and opportunities to interact with peers.
Wallcovering Installers Association: Another online resource, this one is geared very specifically to those looking to learn or improve their wallcovering installation techniques. They also offer certifications for those who complete all the courses, with additional certifications currently under development.

OEM Training

Many of the OEMs in the wide-format print space offer some sort of training, not just for their specific equipment, but designed to help shops build successful businesses. Here is a look at some of the options:

Epson: The Epson Print Academy is a YouTube channel filled with videos from experts on a wide range of subjects. From step-by-step tutorials, to application overviews, to interviews with technology experts, this is a great resource to tap when you have questions.
HP: This is an online training program that lets users work at their own pace, learning both how to get the most out of the company’s portfolio of presses, but also how to design, print, and sell many of the applications they can produce.
Mutoh: With both online training and a library of webinars, the company offers educational options across a broad range of categories, including color management, packaging, dye sublimation, and more.
Ricoh: The company offers a program called Advanced Career Education (ACE) designed to help move students from a classroom environment into a working career in print.
SAi: Called Adendo, SAi's training platform focuses on helping users get more out of its Flexi and EnRoute platforms. It offers both online and in-person training options, as well as a robust community for troubleshooting, networking, and general support.

Colleges, Universities, Technical Institutes, and High Schools

The earlier we start getting kids excited about print, the easier it is to teach them the skills they’ll need to be successful in the industry. Here is a look at some of the colleges, universities, high schools, and technical institutes “fighting the good fight.” Don’t be afraid to reach out to offer your assistance and get involved — if not with one of these, then with your local schools of all types.

Appalachian State University: Located in Boone, North Carolina, the university offers a bachelor’s degree program for Graphic Communication Management — Print/Packaging.
Big Sandy Community & Technical College: The Visual Communication — Design & Technology program, based in Prestonsburg, Kentucky, includes education on both graphic design and production.
Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School: Vocational high schools used to be common across the country, teaching students in general education, and ensuring they graduate with a firm grasp on a trade. While these have dwindled over the years, Blackstone Valley Tech is one of the remaining options, located in Upton, Massachusetts. Its Painting and Design Technology track gives students a wide range of practical skills, including wide-format printing, signage, and wallcoverings.
Central Connecticut State University: The Graphics Technology degree offered in New Britain, Connecticut, focuses on preparing students to enter the print industry as a career, directly out of school.
Central Texas College: Of particular interest in this Killeen, Texas institution is its quick career training program, which is two semesters long. The Graphics and Printing Technology track has options for both graphic design and press operations.
Clemson University: With both bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, Clemson offers a solid grounding for those looking to make a career in graphic communications. The program looks to balance both print and digital technologies, and includes several internships as part of the program to ensure students can immediately jump into their careers after graduation.
Cuyahoga Valley Career Center: Based in Brecksville, Ohio, this organization offers both a Graphic Imaging program for high school students, as well as Graphic Design for Print and Web Production which is an adult continuing education program.
Flint Hills Technical College: Based in Emporia, Kansas, the Graphic Arts Technology Program covers everything from design to software and print technologies.
Fullerton College: Based in Fullerton, California, the school offers Print Technology as one of its many Career Training programs.
Harper College: This community college in Palatine, Illinois offers a Graphic Arts Design and Technology track, where it focuses on both the design and production elements of the process. Students can earn a two-year degree they can use to get a job immediately, or they can transition to a four-year school if they want to continue building their knowledge base. They offer several tracks, as well as additional certifications.
Jefferson High School: Located in Edgewater, Colorado, this school operates a Sign and Wrap Laboratory and program, where students can learn not just about printing wide-format graphics, but how to install wraps of all types, which can be a valuable skill to bring into any print shop.
Los Angeles Trade Technical College: Based in Los Angeles, the Sign Graphics program puts an emphasis on the skilled craftsmanship of sign making, including hand-painting and hand-made lettering, in addition to using vinyl, 3D, and other technologies.
Midlands Technical College: Located in Columbia, South Carolina, the Commercial Graphic Communications degree prepares students for careers in a range of print industry environments.
Minneapolis College of Art and Design: With both undergraduate and master’s programs focusing on graphic design and print technologies, there are a number of paths for students in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area to pursue.
Northcentral Technical College: Under the heading of Arts, A/V Technology, and Communications, this Wausau, Wisconsin school offers both a Graphic Communication Technologies associates degree, as well as a range of print industry-specific technical certificates for those looking to expand their knowledge base.
Northeast WI Technical College: The Print Technology Technical Diploma offered in this Green Bay, Wisconsin organization covers all the basics of print production, from prepress through installation.
Rochester Institute of Technology: Perhaps the best-known program in the industry, based in Rochester, New York, the Print and Graphic Media Technology bachelor’s degree is widely accepted as a premier foundation for those looking to build a career in the print industry.
Rogue Community College: Based in Grants Pass, Oregon, with the ability to transfer credits to Southern Oregon University, the Design and Digital Media Career and Technical Education path offers a range of options that include print and graphics.
Spyder Lab: Based in Brea, California, this program started off as a way to get kids interested in and up to speed on using 3D printing technologies, and has branched out from there. Today it has a range of wide-format, engraving, and DTG equipment students can learn to operate.
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology: Located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the Graphic Communications & Print Technology degree seeks to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of a wide range of print technologies.
Toronto Metropolitan University: The Graphic Communications Management degree from the university, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, doesn’t simply focus on design or technologies, but also seeks to give students a good grounding in the business side of print and packaging as well.
University of Northern Iowa: Located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, Graphic Technology is offered to students as both a major and minor program.
Upper Valley Career Center: Located in Piqua, Ohio, this program seeks to offer high school students additional resources beyond what their own school can provide. There are more than 20 different technical fields supported, with Design and Digital Print Technologies among them. They offer training, courses for college credit, and even a program that matches students with potential apprenticeship opportunities.
Warren County Career Center: Aimed at high school students, this program seeks to provide a broad education and experience with a range of design and print technologies, in Lebanon, Ohio.

Students and Scholarships

Cultivating a love of print in younger generations is an ongoing — and pressing — concern. Here is a look at some of the schools, organizations, and scholarship opportunities you can get involved with to help nurture next gen printers.

ACG Education: It’s one thing to encourage schools to offer more technical training, it’s another to make sure they have the resources needed to follow through. This organization seeks to partner with schools to ensure they have the solutions they need to help students be successful.
Graphic Communication Scholarship Foundation: This organization focuses on providing opportunities and scholarships to those looking to create or advance their careers in the print industry. It’s worth checking out, and even getting involved.
Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation: This nonprofit offers assistance and scholarships to those interested in building a career in the print and graphics industry. This includes programs that target younger people still in school to get them excited about print, as well as those already working, and who want to continue their education in the field.
SkillsUSA: One of the biggest workforce development organizations in the country aimed at high school students, it seeks to educate and empower students for careers in technical fields, and hosts annual competitions to recognize creativity and hard work.

Wrapping

When it comes to wide-format printing, perhaps one of the more visible applications are wraps, with vehicle wraps being a major source of revenue for many operations. But wrapping a vehicle, and wrapping a vehicle well, are not the same thing. These organizations and programs will help you ensure your installation team takes the eye-catching images you produce and turns them into outstanding moving works of art.

Chicago Wrap University: Based in Chicago, this program offers training in the whole process from design to installation, and goes into more than just vehicle wraps, with options to learn more about applications such as wall wraps, exotic wraps, partial wraps, and decals, to name a few. They also offer certifications for those who complete the courses.
Elite Wrappers: With locations across the country offering live classes for both seasoned pros and beginners alike, there is a program for every skill level to ensure your installation team stays up to date on the latest tools, technologies, and techniques in the world of wrapping.
Inside the Wrap Shop: Sponsored by Roland DGA, this workshop teaches installers the basics, including hands-on experience from design to the finished product, and how to get the best results.
PDAA: While technically a part of the PRINTING United Alliance platform, PDAA offers a separate set of classes and certifications specifically geared toward those in the wrapping part of the wide-format and signage business. There are workshops, live demonstrations, and more available for those looking to expand their knowledge base and skillset.
The Wrap Institute: Perhaps one of the best-known wrap training programs, they offer everything from live, in-person training, to online how-to videos, and even a shop with the tools and resources professionals use, so those interested in improving their wrap skills don’t need to go hunting for them. They also have a robust forum for the community to connect, ask questions, and get help from peers.
Wrapstar University: The Master the Wrap Initiative, being held as in-person training sessions in cities across the county, focuses on three-day intensive training specifically geared toward intermediate commercial fleet wrapping. That said, they also offer one-on-one training, as well as mentorship and internship opportunities to those interested.

Other Resources

Sometimes, you just have questions you want answered quickly, or want access to a database so you can do a quick search as needed. These resources run the gamut for what they provide, and can be solid sources of information for wide-format printers everywhere.

Print & Design Academy: With a focus on designing for both print applications and packaging, this is a great resource for anyone looking to expand or improve the design services they offer.
The Print University: A subscription-based service, there are a wide range of online courses for both those brand new to the print industry, and those seeking to deepen their knowledge base.
School of Sign Arts: An online platform with training videos geared specifically toward the sign market, this resource aims to be a place to help take some of the burden off training new hires.

Again, if you notice a class or educational opportunity we’ve missed — or that is no longer available — feel free to drop me a note at tmcquilken@napco.com.