What is a Printing Press Operator?
Printing Press Operator Definition Set up and operate digital, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure, or other printing machines. Includes short-run offset printing presses.
A Day in the Life of a Printing Press Operator
- Load presses with paper and make necessary adjustments, according to paper size.
- Secure printing plates to printing units and adjust tolerances.
- Adjust ink fountain flow rates.
- Monitor inventory levels on a regular basis, ordering or requesting additional supplies, as necessary.
- Download completed jobs to archive media so that questions can be answered or jobs replicated.
- Start presses and pull proofs to check for ink coverage and density, alignment, and registration.
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Qualities of a Printing Press Operator
Printing Press Operators state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Types of Printing Press Operator
- Printer Slotter Operator
- Flexographic Press Operator
- Press Operator Helper
- Digital Operator
- Embossing Press Operator Apprentice
Are There Job Opportunities for Printing Press Operators?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 178,700 jobs in the United States for Printing Press Operator. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Printing Press Operator. The BLS estimates 15,800 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Printing Press Operator are Idaho, Nevada, and Utah. Watch out if you plan on working in Kansas, Kentucky, or Hawaii. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Printing Press Operator
The average yearly salary of a Printing Press Operator ranges between $22,690 and $58,710.
Printing Press Operators who work in District of Columbia, Alaska, or Minnesota, make the highest salaries.
How much do Printing Press Operators make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $30,740 |
| Alaska | $48,140 |
| Arizona | $34,240 |
| Arkansas | $35,480 |
| California | $39,380 |
| Colorado | $39,370 |
| Connecticut | $38,600 |
| Delaware | $42,280 |
| District of Columbia | $80,680 |
| Florida | $33,640 |
| Georgia | $34,000 |
| Hawaii | $43,120 |
| Idaho | $32,650 |
| Illinois | $44,050 |
| Indiana | $34,610 |
| Iowa | $35,090 |
| Kansas | $34,350 |
| Kentucky | $33,540 |
| Louisiana | $31,280 |
| Maine | $35,380 |
| Maryland | $39,850 |
| Massachusetts | $42,890 |
| Michigan | $36,070 |
| Minnesota | $44,670 |
| Mississippi | $32,690 |
| Missouri | $42,920 |
| Montana | $33,320 |
| Nebraska | $35,110 |
| Nevada | $36,040 |
| New Hampshire | $43,250 |
| New Jersey | $45,580 |
| New Mexico | $32,220 |
| New York | $41,770 |
| North Carolina | $37,090 |
| North Dakota | $35,410 |
| Ohio | $36,730 |
| Oklahoma | $30,430 |
| Oregon | $37,920 |
| Pennsylvania | $39,150 |
| Rhode Island | $41,250 |
| South Carolina | $35,770 |
| South Dakota | $35,720 |
| Tennessee | $38,170 |
| Texas | $38,710 |
| Utah | $35,550 |
| Vermont | $40,570 |
| Virginia | $38,690 |
| Washington | $42,060 |
| West Virginia | $30,630 |
| Wisconsin | $38,430 |
| Wyoming | $34,540 |
What Tools do Printing Press Operators Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Printing Press Operators:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
- Graphics software
- Inventory tracking software
- Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite
- Adobe Systems Adobe PageMaker
- QuarkXPress
- Image editing software
- Adobe Systems Adobe LifeCycle Production Print ES3
How to Become a Printing Press Operator
What education or degrees do I need to become a Printing Press Operator?
What work experience do I need to become a Printing Press Operator?
Where Printing Press Operators Work
Below are examples of industries where Printing Press Operators work:
Related Careers
Those interested in being a Printing Press Operator may also be interested in:
Those who work as a Printing Press Operator sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Auburn University College of Architecture, Design and Construction via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
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