Mariano Rivera Foundation’s Print Design & Packaging Development Program Adds New Custom Training Program for Commercial Printers

The Mariano Rivera Foundation and its Print Design & Packaging Development (PDPD) program started primarily to train service technicians in the vendor space but has since evolved into a custom training program for printers. Heidi Tolliver-Walker looks at what the program has accomplished in the past year.

It’s hard to believe it’s over a year since WhatTheyThink first reported on the Mariano Rivera Foundation and its Print Design & Packaging Development (PDPD) program, and the program has only gained steam since then.

(See the original story here.)

That’s exciting. Just as exciting is that what started out as a program primarily to train service technicians in the vendor space has evolved into a custom training program for printers. Printers looking to hire from the program interview one of the students, and if approved, that student starts an internship program at the print shop concurrent with their classroom training.

“By the time they have finished the program (which takes 90–120 days), they are already familiar with the printer’s equipment, its people, and how things work,” says Luis Villa, vice president, industrial and production print for Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office, which brought the idea for the program to the Mariano Rivera Foundation and continues to facilitate it. “So not only do they have general industry training, but they are training on the equipment and workflows of their potential employer. This makes them ready to hit the ground running on day one.”

Printers Need Employees—Youth Need Jobs

The Mariano Rivera Foundation (MRF) was founded in 1998 by Hall of Fame New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera to reach at-risk youth and give them a pathway to a more successful future. Students aged 16 to 20 are selected from local high schools to receive mentoring, etiquette training, and college preparedness. The program exposes students to multiple career paths and prepares them for local employment opportunities.

In 2021, MRF took this a step further by partnering with Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office to launch training specific to the printing industry, the Print Design Packaging Development Program. Students are nominated by their high school guidance counselors, interviewed, and once approved, receive training and certifications in digital print technology, color management, workflow, and digital design.

Core certifications for the program include:

EFI Fiery Professional
Konica Minolta Field Services Technician
Idealliance Color Management Professional

Students who want to further their training can pursue EFI Fiery Expert, Ricoh Digital Literacy, and Adobe certifications, as well.

Students from Saddleback District High School visit the production area of Premium Color Group in Carlstadt, N.J.

“These are really coveted certifications, and they are something that most people in the industry don't have,” says Villa. “So the students coming out of the program bring a lot of value to their potential employers. That’s why we don’t call them ‘entry level.’ We call them ‘entry level plus’.”

Certifications and training are provided free of charge thanks to donations from participating companies and industry members. Supporters include a veritable “who’s who” of the industry, including Konica-Minolta, Ricoh, Sharp, Visual Edge, Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office, EFI, IdeaAlliance, Adobe, What They Think, Sun Chemical, the Printing Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF), the Print and Graphics Communications Association.

Program Gathering Steam

The PDPD program has now been running successfully for two years. The first training center was launched in Gainesville, Fla., in 2021. The second was launched in Carlstadt, NJ, on a site owned by Sun Chemical and leased by the Premium Color Group. PCG offers a full range of design, prepress, press, and bindery services, giving students real-world experience on top of what they gain in the classroom.

(Learn more about the Carlstadt training center here.)

Now, with the first group of trainees having graduated and moved into the workforce, the PDPD program is gearing up for a new year. Ten students have been selected (four in the Carlstadt location and six in the Gainesville location), and multiple print shops are in line to grab the students as they become available.

The excitement around this new aspect of the program, Villa says, is palpable, and he is overwhelmed by the willingness of so many in the industry to provide support, whether by donating equipment or giving of their time and finances.

“The whole printing industry is willing to help,” he says. “It’s not just in commercial print. It’s in packaging. It’s in digital. It’s in companies in the transactional space. They are donating equipment. Take students as interns. Providing financial support. The program has matured, and people want to be a part of it.”

As the successes continue, the next round of students is set to enter the program in Fall 2023. But the need (both of students and potential employers) far outstrips the availability. Now the PDPD program is looking to expand, this time in Chicago.

“We couldn’t be more excited,” says Villa. “We are already working with a major printer in the area to take on interns. As the program grows, we’ll continue to expand. The print industry has consistently been searching for qualified talent—and this program will provide that on an ongoing basis.”

Interested in getting involved in the intern program to develop next-generation talent? MRF’s Print Design & Packaging Development program offers the industry high-quality, motivated candidates and a world of exciting possibilities…but you’ll have to get in line.

Students sitting in the new Print Design & Packaging Program classroom located in the facility of Premium Color Group.