Discussion

By Robert Godwin on Jan 25, 2018

Jen,
There's no arguing finding and hiring quality technical staff can pose a challenge. This is particularly true for the more traditionally oriented commercial shops. How do you keep a truly talented person interested in an operation that may not present a range of tech challenges?
Sure, every shop has technology, but often responsibility is split among IT, PrePress, Online e-commerce, accounting and manufacturing. Rarely does any shop provide a clearly defined path to advancement for someone who has potential to grow into a tech superstar. These are the things young blood in the workforce are seeking. What can they achieve? How can they advance? Where are the new challenges?
Automation in workflows is a good start. As an example, here are a few ways Scissor Hands cutting technology (pardon the plug but it is too kool for skool) has innovated the print process:
including on-the-spot training for cutter operators that saves significant time and money.
• Intuitive touch-screen animations.
• Reduces operator training time from months to hours.
• Improves accuracy and data management.
• Lowers cuts by up to 60% on any given run.
Yes, reducing labor, especially in traditional journeymen roles, is inevitable. Sophisticated algorithms and machine learning have made shops less dependent on expensive craftspeople of our trade.
But that money doesn't go into a reserve, it must be invested in technical talent that manages and advances the automated conversions.