Printing & Signage

Shared first block for every VoTechWorks program. OSHA 10 (30 for construction management), first aid/CPR/AED, applied trade math and measurement, technical reading and writing, digital literacy, and career readiness. Completed before students enter the lab and live systems unsupervised.

• Hold an OSHA 10 card and current CPR/AED certification
• Convert, measure and estimate with trade units, fractions, percentages and basic geometry
• Read a specification, code excerpt or manual and write a clear technical report
• Use email, spreadsheets, and the program's digital job-management tools
• Present a resume, portfolio and interview answers to an employer panel

Competency course in Digital & offset print for the Printing & Signage program. Instruction moves from demonstration to supervised practice to independent performance in the lab and live systems, measured against vendor documentation and industry standards. Students configure, secure and troubleshoot real work in Digital & offset print and keep a lab notebook signed off by the instructor.

• Explain the principles, terminology and standards that govern Digital & offset print
• Select and safely use the tools, equipment and materials for Digital & offset print
• Perform the core tasks of Digital & offset print to the standard, within time, without rework
• Identify faults, hazards and non-conformities in Digital & offset print work and correct them
• Document Digital & offset print work in the lab notebook to industry format

Competency course in wide-format & UV printing for the Printing & Signage program. Instruction moves from demonstration to supervised practice to independent performance in the lab and live systems, measured against vendor documentation and industry standards. Students configure, secure and troubleshoot real work in wide-format & UV printing and keep a lab notebook signed off by the instructor.

• Explain the principles, terminology and standards that govern wide-format & UV printing
• Select and safely use the tools, equipment and materials for wide-format & UV printing
• Perform the core tasks of wide-format & UV printing to the standard, within time, without rework
• Identify faults, hazards and non-conformities in wide-format & UV printing work and correct them
• Document wide-format & UV printing work in the lab notebook to industry format

Competency course in vinyl & wraps for the Printing & Signage program. Instruction moves from demonstration to supervised practice to independent performance in the lab and live systems, measured against vendor documentation and industry standards. Students configure, secure and troubleshoot real work in vinyl & wraps and keep a lab notebook signed off by the instructor.

• Explain the principles, terminology and standards that govern vinyl & wraps
• Select and safely use the tools, equipment and materials for vinyl & wraps
• Perform the core tasks of vinyl & wraps to the standard, within time, without rework
• Identify faults, hazards and non-conformities in vinyl & wraps work and correct them
• Document vinyl & wraps work in the lab notebook to industry format

Competency course in sign fabrication & install for the Printing & Signage program. Instruction moves from demonstration to supervised practice to independent performance in the lab and live systems, measured against vendor documentation and industry standards. Students configure, secure and troubleshoot real work in sign fabrication & install and keep a lab notebook signed off by the instructor.

• Explain the principles, terminology and standards that govern sign fabrication & install
• Select and safely use the tools, equipment and materials for sign fabrication & install
• Perform the core tasks of sign fabrication & install to the standard, within time, without rework
• Identify faults, hazards and non-conformities in sign fabrication & install work and correct them
• Document sign fabrication & install work in the lab notebook to industry format

Competency course in prepress for the Printing & Signage program. Instruction moves from demonstration to supervised practice to independent performance in the lab and live systems, measured against vendor documentation and industry standards. Students configure, secure and troubleshoot real work in prepress and keep a lab notebook signed off by the instructor.

• Explain the principles, terminology and standards that govern prepress
• Select and safely use the tools, equipment and materials for prepress
• Perform the core tasks of prepress to the standard, within time, without rework
• Identify faults, hazards and non-conformities in prepress work and correct them
• Document prepress work in the lab notebook to industry format

Competency course in museum panel production for the Printing & Signage program. Instruction moves from demonstration to supervised practice to independent performance in the lab and live systems, measured against vendor documentation and industry standards. Students configure, secure and troubleshoot real work in museum panel production and keep a lab notebook signed off by the instructor.

• Explain the principles, terminology and standards that govern museum panel production
• Select and safely use the tools, equipment and materials for museum panel production
• Perform the core tasks of museum panel production to the standard, within time, without rework
• Identify faults, hazards and non-conformities in museum panel production work and correct them
• Document museum panel production work in the lab notebook to industry format

An integrated, assessed piece of real work that draws on every trade course in Printing & Signage: planned, estimated, executed and documented by the student, reviewed by an employer advisor. Capstones are shown in the Student Yard or the Museum of VoTech where the work allows.

• Plan and estimate a complete job from a specification
• Execute the job to standard within the estimate
• Present the finished work and its documentation to an employer panel

Supervised placement with an employer partner in Printing & Signage work. Hours are logged against the certifying body's task list; the employer evaluates against the same rubric used in the shop.

• Perform the trade's tasks in a real workplace under supervision
• Meet employer expectations for attendance, safety and conduct
• Log hours and tasks in the format the certifying body accepts

Structured preparation for 3M Preferred Installer; PIA/Printing United Certification: content review mapped to the exam blueprint, timed practice exams, practical-exam rehearsal, and registration/eligibility paperwork with the registrar.

• Score ≥ 80% on two timed mock exams
• Complete the eligibility application and hours verification
• Rehearse the practical exam format to time

The program completion credential(s). Sat at the school's authorized testing center or the body's test site; results recorded in the student record and reported in the annual outcomes report. Pass standard: Credential issued by the body.