Where did PrePress go?

[soilworker]

Wow.... looks like I've got it pretty good where I am here in the northeast. I do in-house prepress/premedia, random graphics stuff, graphics training etc.... ya know.... general graphics tomfoolery. I'm in my late 20's, have a two year degree and have been in the field (graphics in general) a little over 8 years... started off at about $12 per hour and now I'm salaried making about double what I did when I started. Still, I'm considering going back to school for computer science, information architecture or industrial design. I don't see how I can get much further $wise otherwise. I just love working with graphics.... it's in my soul.

[colorblind]

Originally Posted by Mjetz

Workflow Expert. That's the future of Prepress. You want to survive in this business then you have to become a Workflow Expert. Not just how they work, but beable to build, maintain and troubleshoot automated workflows. Sure the skills of Digital Prepress and Print knowledge are needed. My shop is an in-plant printer for a home/personal care company. I'm on the frontline build a workflow that gets PDFs from the design group and goes all the way to plate with as much automation as possible.

Packaging is growing. Comercial is fighting the Internet, digital distribution, on demand digital print. Just about everything that's made needs to go into a package of so kind and that needs print.

I also agree.

[ChilBear]

Don't be caught with your blinders on you packaging guys.

If they can FTP a file overseas they can do all the prep and send back a file ready for the CTP device. The internet has cut everyone down and if you think you are safe - you are next. Plan your exit strategy now and be prepared.

Going back to the topic of Plans I bought a cadillac of plans to keep my high priced talent. First two guys through the process cost the system tons and dental was denied after that (even me who paid for it). Next was a slashing of drugs because of cost. I kept the same plan for 20 years with increasing costs. Just this year "Oh you aren't paying enough into the plan (ie costing more than we pay cuz of drug costs) and you don't want to pay more? - We have this new plan, fill out..." Cancelled outright and now only a Chevy program. I wish I had a video phone so they could see the gesture I made with my digit - fucktards is the term I think.

[duck]

"Plan your exit strategy now and be prepared."

Amen.

And I would add - plan a couple of different income streams, not just one dead-end job with no security.

[jimking]

I'm steaming out the nose and ears over this health care insurance scam. You just would not believe the situation I'm in. And I'm healthy. Do not get sick.

[Peon]

[quote]I also cannot imagine knowing film and having your job slowly becoming obsolete and at 40? having to re learn everything for CTP. (as it is with a co worker)[quote]


I work with a guy that's been in prepress for over 45 years and has to learn CTP and has doen so without a hitch. The only thing he doesn't do is troubleshoot, I do that. It's not impossible to learn anything. We now only have one prepress operator and work goest through here quicker than crap througha goose due to CTP.

[jimking]

If you know film and film output the transition to direct to plate should be and is a breeze. It's basically the samething, instead of imaging to film it's plates instead.

[C2C]

[quote=Peon;79916][quote]I also cannot imagine knowing film and having your job slowly becoming obsolete and at 40? having to re learn everything for CTP. (as it is with a co worker)

I work with a guy that's been in prepress for over 45 years and has to learn CTP and has doen so without a hitch. The only thing he doesn't do is troubleshoot, I do that. It's not impossible to learn anything. We now only have one prepress operator and work goest through here quicker than crap througha goose due to CTP.

What I meant was not that our sole and official Film Stipper // Platemaker couldnt learn the MAC, Illy, PS, Indy, Quark ect ect ... Im sure he could but the Co. wouldnt want to spend the time and $ training him.
(( at his current pay and hes due to retire in the next 2-4years ))

All our film strippers and platemakers which are not the original 2 (2 of 5?)
are gone. The original 2 were given the Dept and the rest just worked Afternoons and Nights plating film jobs (and CTP) while the Operators worked on the files.

The co. made it clear they want a sole Operator/Platemaker on each shift to cut down on the press down time.
(film stripper cannot go in and take that OP off the white text or whatever the scenario )

What they did was let the film stripper/plate maker go and hire someone out of school (or has a few years in Prepress) for 1/2 the $.
From a Co. stand point this person would have a potentially longer shelf life with the co and "should" already understand the basics of the programs they work with and would only have to be trained on the Work flow instead of from scratch on the Applications.

Its all about the bottom $ in the end... profit trumps everything else.. ( not that I want to believe this......but I see it......)
that is, until the shit hits the fan and the profit turns to cost... then Experience and problem solving matters.......... See-Saw.............See-Saw...............