PIA MidAmerica has been working diligently on building a Learning Management System (LMS) to provide curriculum training for production technician apprentices during their on-the-job training later this year. The initial focus will be sheet-fed and bindery departments and the program will take 1 year to complete. Production supervisors will be trained to engage with the apprentice as well as in the portal to report on their progress. Classroom instruction will be in a live-streaming virtual classroom, on-site at the member company, where the instructor and apprentices will engage with each other about video, animations and other resources built into the program.
A recruitment campaign titled “Print IS” is being developed to attract candidates to all segments of the industry. The program will have an initial launch through PIA MidAmerica and Printing Industry Midwest and will then extend across the country. Members in rural and metropolitan areas will be able to take advantage of the apprenticeship program through the virtual classroom portal. Supports and participants can sign-up for updates at https://tinyurl.com/PIAMidAmApprenticeships
