Printing Technology means the “wide range of technologies which are required to run printing & graphic communication jobs”. Printing Technology is one of the field in engineering courses which deals with printing press operations, design and creation. At present, printing technology is non-impact and mostly makes use of computers. Printing Technology is the combination of various skills such as scientific, technical & artistic. It is a part of the mass communication process which involves various skills such as technical skills holds prime importance. Each person engaged in performing typesetting, designing, pasting, plate making, image setting, camera work, printing and binding has a specific and specialized role to perform and contribute for the output. “With holding a degree in printing technology, you can expect lots of career opportunities in India as well as abroad.” Printing Technicians are responsible for reviewing the quantity and specifics of an order, calibrating color controls, arranging pages and operating the equipment. Additional duties may also include cutting, compressing and assembling printed pages for publication. The type of printing process / technique used varies depending on the sort of final product your employer's business produces.

The most popular applications of printing are newspapers, periodicals and hoardings, which include color magazines, books, brochures, posters, catalogue, pamphlet, banners and so on.

Others manufacture labels for foodstuffs, bottles and clothing. Some produce specialised items such as chip packets, frozen food wrapping and CD labels. Offset printing (combined with lithography technique is commonly used for books and newspapers), Rotogravure (for magazines, packaging), Flexography (for labels, packaging, newspapers), screen printing (for printing on T-shirts, floor tiles etc.), digital printing such as inkjet (for books, packaging etc.), laser (for bills, documents), dotmatrix etc. are some of the common techniques used.

Work Environment

• Most printing press operators work with the majority working early morning, weekend and night shifts, depending on publication deadlines. Working conditions vary by occupation. For example, press operators who work with large web presses or pieces of bindery equipment work in a manufacturing plant environment and often need to wear ear protection. On the other hand, prepress technicians and related workers usually work in quiet, clean, air-conditioned offices.

Entry Level Education

• Diploma in Printing Technology.
• B.Tech /B.E. in Printing Technology.
• M.Tech /M.E. in Printing Technology.
• PhD. in Printing Technology.

Knowledge required

• Media and Marketing – Familiarity with media creation, engagement, and distribution strategies and methodologies is required for communication systems and multimedia. Printed, auditory and electronic media are all examples of various ways to inform and amuse.
• English Grammar — Familiarity in English Grammar, the form, and substance of the English language, along with the context and pronunciation of words, principles of grammar, and language.
• Advertising and Distribution — Entails understanding the values and strategies for displaying, advertising, and distributing goods or services. Marketing strategies and strategies, merchandise presentation, distribution procedures, and sales management processes are all part of this.
• Computer Application — Understanding the prospects and functioning of circuit boards, processing units, circuits, electrical devices, computer equipment, plus applications and programming.
• Development and Refinement — Comprehension of natural resources, manufacturing methods, quality management, prices, and other approaches for optimizing the efficient manufacture and delivery of products.

Skills required

• Rational interpretation – Use of rationality and inference to distinguish the positives and disadvantages of creative improvements, assumptions, or responses to situations.
• Influence — Inspiring and persuading people to change their behavior and support a certain product, brand, or organization to increase sales.
• Method of Learning — Practises and processes for selecting and implementing strength and conditioning approaches and techniques that are suitable for the case when learning or introducing new items.
• Processes Assessment —Entails identifying metrics or indices of service quality as well as the steps required to enhance or change effectiveness concerning the system's objectives.
• Critical Analysis — Learning and identifying the strengths and weaknesses along with providing solutions and countermeasures to reduce the impact of potential problems.

Career opportunities

Academic Content Writing can opt for various fields of work in the companies listed below:

• Hindustan Oil Exploration Company Limited
• Zoho
• Verloop.io
• Nobroker.com
• Moksha
• Voxpro Communications
• Nest
• Embibe
• Global InfoCloud
• Freelancer
• EduGorilla

Colleges offering courses

• Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune
• Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media, Bangalore
• Ajk Mass Communication Research Centre, New Delhi
• Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi
• Asian College of Journalism, Chennai
• Prestige Institute of Management and Research, Indore
• Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai
• Parul University, Vadodara
• Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal
• Chandigarh University, Chandigarh