Pittsbugh, Pa. -- The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has accepted the Education Summit for Graphic Communication (ESGC)'s recommendations for structure changes to "Printing Workers" detailed occupational groups for the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC). OMB announced its decision in a January 21, 2009, Federal Register notice (Vol. 74, No. 12/Wednesday, January 21, 2009/Notices, p.3920).
 
The SOC is designed to reflect the current occupational structure of the United States, and provides data that is widely used by government program managers, industrial and labor relations practitioners, employers and job seekers, academic and business researchers, educators, guidance counselors, and students exploring potential careers and identifying educational and training alternatives. Decisions to fund training programs are often influenced by the career opportunities reflected in the SOC, hence the need for an accurate portrayal of the true nature of the rapidly changing graphic communications industry.
 
The 2010 SOC revision began with a Federal Register notice in May 2006 calling for information. The graphic communications industry responded to that notice, and in a May 22, 2008, Federal Register notice, the Standard Occupational Classification Policy Committee (SOCPC), under the direction of OMB, issued its recommendations for revising the 2000 SOC for 2010. These recommendations reflected earlier graphic communications industry input, and were supported by a July 21, 2008 ESGC submission to OMB. The ESGC has also submitted over forty detailed job descriptions to O*NET OnLine.

The Education Summit is an industry consortium created and supported by a number of individuals and organizations. It is primarily sponsored by the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF), a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit, private, industry-directed organization that dispenses undergraduate college scholarships and graduate fellowship assistance to talented men and women interested in graphic communications careers. It is also supported by the Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation (GAERF®), also a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit group.  

The mission of the 2009 ESGC is to bring together graphic communication educators and industry leaders from around the country to strengthen and facilitate career opportunities for secondary and post secondary students, and to deepen the qualified workforce pool for the graphic communications industry. The printing industry consists of over 38,000 establishments, employs over one million people, and is found in every community in America. It is the sixth largest employer in the nation, and number nine in value of shipments.
 
For more information, contact John Berthelsen at 608-849-1000, or email [email protected]