New Mariano Rivera Foundation Print Training Center Set to Open in Premium Color Graphics’ New Jersey Facility

The Mariano Rivera Foundation’s Print Design Packaging Development Program has been gaining steam since it launched in early 2021. New trainees are finding jobs, and printers are finding qualified employees. Now, as the program grows, a new training center is set to launch in the Premium Color Graphics’ Carlstadt, NJ facility in January 2023.

Andy Griffin, managing partner at Premium Color Group, stands with attendees at the open house for the Mariano Rivera Foundation's new training facility for its Print Design Packaging Development Program located in PCG's Carlstadt, N.J., facility.

Everyone loves a feel-good story, and thanks to the Mariano Rivera Foundation (MRF) and its mentoring and Print Design Packaging Development programs, the printing industry has more of them—with more to come. The foundation was launched by Hall of Fame pitcher Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees with the mission of bringing mentorship, training, and STEM education to at-risk youth.

MRF’s Print Design Packaging Development Program was the brainchild and result of a partnership with Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office, with the support of ATO President Larry Weiss and Vice President of Production Print – CIP Luis Villa, who serves as the primary liaison between the foundation and the printing industry.

The Print Design Packaging Development Program was launched in 2021. Although MRF’s headquarters is in New Rochelle, NY, the first training center was opened on a church property in Gainesville, FL, as the foundation awaits the completion of its 40,000-square-foot training center.

As part of the program, students have the opportunity to earn industry certifications, including:

EFI Fiery Professional
EFI Fiery Expert
Konica Minolta Field Services Technician
Ricoh Digital Literacy
Idealliance Color Management Professional
Lean Six Sigma Project Management

In January 2023, a second training facility will open in Premium Color Group’s Carlstadt facility. It will offer more than online classroom training and certifications. It will offer hands-on training through PCG’s production department, as well. The opportunity to earn Adobe certification will be added at that time.

“The students will be able to walk out right across the hallway from the classroom right into Premium Color Graphics’ production room and see those lessons in action right in front of them,” says Villa.

Brand new classroom at Premium Color Graphics' Carlstadt, NJ facility provided by Sun Chemical that will support 8-10 students in the Print Design Packaging Development Program starting in January 2023.

Finding Employment in Print

The inaugural Print Design Packaging Development Program trained six youth selected from local high schools, four of whom have already found employment in the printing industry. Villa has also made one hire directly from the foundation’s broader (but not print-specific) mentorship program and is looking to make two more.

Training is free to students and is supported by donations, both financial and material, including donations of hardware and software by printing industry vendors. Among the supporters of the program are Konica-Minolta, Ricoh, Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office, EFI, IdeaAlliance, Adobe, What They Think, Sun Chemical, and the Printing Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF).

The first hire out of the Mariano Rivera Foundation was Leevinski Leonard. Villa recognized Leonard’s potential right away, and Leonard is now a certified Konica Minolta technician with EFI certification. After nine months of training, Leonard is now going on service calls on his own. Leonard was recently recognized at ATO’s annual gala and employee awards program for outstanding achievement.

Villa is amazed by how quickly Leonard has learned and grown. “Last week, did his first production Konica-Minolta install all by himself,” says Villa. “I sent one of our other guys to see how he’s doing, and Lee was like, ‘Why is he here? I got this!’ — and he did. Lee’s confidence, his pride in his work, is amazing.”

New Year, New Trainees

The pilot training center in Gainesville launching its second class of trainees in September 2022. Selection of candidates is currently in process. When the Carlstadt training center opens in January, it will kick off its program with 8-10 trainees, as well.

PCG’s Carlstadt, NJ facility is owned by Sun Chemical, which paid to have one of the empty rooms in the building renovated and turned into the learning center. The classroom has 8-10 desks, laptops, a set of black leather couches, and a large flatscreen TV, giving students both a superior education and a sense of value and belonging.

New to the program is the participation of local printers, who will have the opportunity to meet the trainees and do pre-employment interviews based on their needs. This will allow the trainees’ curricula to be customized with the specific skills that each potential employer is looking for.

“There are a lot of printers in New Jersey—our customers—calling us up, saying, ‘Do you know anyone to run our machines?’” says Villa. “We have one customer who said, ‘I can use eight people today.’ So we will be changing up the curriculum a little bit to customize the student’s learning so once those students graduate from the program, they can be ready for employment at these print facilities on day one.”

Printers participating in the program will have the opportunity to let the trainee shadow at their locations on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, as well. This will allow trainees to get further familiar with and acclimated to their potential employers’ production environments.

Save 653

The growth and success of the Print Design Packaging Development Program is changing the lives of these trainees and providing the industry with highly skilled workers. As more printers and vendors learn about the program and offer their expertise and support, the program continues to gain momentum.

The Print Design Packaging Development Program also reflects the heart of Mariano Rivera for today’s youth as seen in the foundation’s motto: Save 653. “Throughout his career in Major League Baseball, Mariano had 652 saves,” concludes Villa. “But he believes that the most important ‘save’ is the one he’s doing now—saving America’s youth through education. We are thrilled that we get to be a little part of that!”

Leevinski Leonard, hired by Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office out of the Mariano Rivera Foundation mentorship program, stands with former New York Yankee Jim Leyritz (left) and Stephen Hammond, production print field engineer for Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office (right), at the annual ATO gala after receiving an honorary plaque for outstanding achievement.