PrintED Questions
What are the benefits of achieving PrintED accreditation?
To the student, PrintED provides a career pathway to enter the workplace with verifiable credentials or to pursue further education with college credit already in hand.
To the educator, PrintED ensures an instructional program that is current and relevant, consistent across the nation, and aligned with industry standards.
To the employer, PrintED graduates promise a knowledgeable, trained, and skilled workforce.
How does a program achieve PrintED accreditation?
After completing an application, an experienced PrintED instructor is assigned to serve as a mentor to the candidate program. The mentor maintains monthly contact with the instructor, and visits the facility on two separate occasions. A team comprised of industry professionals conducts a final evaluation to determine if the program has met accreditation requirements.
Does PrintED have defined skill standards?
PrintED has identified six standards that encompass the elements of a solid training program. In order for a program to receive accreditation, it must meet these standards in at least two areas of accreditation.
What areas of accreditation are offered?
- Introduction to Graphic Communications
- Advertising and Design
- Binding & Finishing
- Digital File Output
- Digital File Preparation
- Digital Production Printing
- Offset Press Operations
- Screen Printing Technology
- Advanced Offset Press Operations
- Advanced Digital File Preparation
Accreditation in the introductory course, as well as in one other area, is required. Institutions may choose to be accredited in additional areas based on their programs.
What are the PrintED competencies?
Competencies have been identified for each area of accreditation in order to determine if the PrintED standards have been met. These competencies, developed by educators and industry personnel, form the basis for instruction.
Does PrintED provide assessments?
To provide students with a credential that validates their master of the PrintED competencies, GAERF and SkillsUSA have established a partnership to offer online PrintED/SkillsUSA Skill Connect Assessments. These examinations test technical skills and knowledge with interactive questions enriched by animations, videos, drawings and photographs. The five assessments include:
- Advertising and Design
- Digital File Preparation/Digital File Output (available spring 2011)
- Graphic Communications
- Offset Press Operations/Binding and Finishing (available spring 2011)
- Screen Printing Technology
Students who receive passing scores on the assessments will receive co-branded PrintED/SkillsUSA certificates that display GAERF, PrintED, and SkillsUSA logos.
Does PrintED provide a curriculum?
Although PrintED does not provide its own course of study, there are curriculums available that are aligned with the PrintED competencies.
How long does it take to achieve PrintED accreditation?
An applicant program is granted 18 months to complete the accreditation process. Accreditation is awarded for five years with an Annual Report due at the end of each academic school year.
How many programs are PrintED accredited?
As accreditations are awarded on a continual basis, the most up-to-date information can be found at www.gaerf.org.
What is the fee for accreditation?
The accreditation fee of $1800 includes a PrintED manual, a CD containing the PrintED competencies, two onsite visits by an experienced PrintED instructor, and an accreditation plaque.