To better meet the needs of educators and students, the Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation (GAERF) has formed a strategic partnership with the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) and the Multistate Academic and Vocational Curriculum Consortium, Inc. (MAVCC) to develop a comprehensive educational package for PrintED accredited programs. PrintED, an accreditation and certification program for graphic communications courses of study at the secondary and post-secondary levels, has grown since its development in 1986 from a state-wide program to a national industry-approved program with a strong presence in thirty-four states. The package will consist of a complete system that begins with the administration of a NOCTI pre-assessment to establish baseline knowledge and skills of the students. By using the MAVCC curriculum, a teacher can deliver a comprehensive curriculum and focus on the areas of need discovered through the pre-assessment. The system will conclude with the administration of a PrintED Certification Assessment. A program has the option to participate in any or all of the components. As a result of this three-way alliance, GAERF Chairman Randolph W. Camp, CEO of Walton Media Services in Monroe, Georgia, notes, “Graphic arts educators all over the country can now take advantage of a defined process that will document student learning from pre-assessment of student knowledge, through delivery of appropriateinstruction, to post-assessment measured by the PrintED Certification Examinations. “This educational package provides technical and vocational educators with a way to measure student knowledge and skills against recognized industry-wide standards,” Camp adds. NOCTI President/CEO John Foster says the agreement promises significant benefits to educators, students and industry employers. “NOCTI provides comparison score reports, so that teachers can use data to improve their own delivery of the curriculum,” he says. “For employers, the combination of pre-tests and post-tests that are industry-validated gives them assurance that certified students have mastered core competencies in their field.” NOCTI has four decades of experience in designing and developing occupational competency assessments, providing more than 170 standardized technical assessments in a variety of occupational fields. At MAVCC, an organization that develops and delivers competency-based instructional materials, Executive Director Jane Huston also stresses the importance of applying industry skill standards through a comprehensive program. “Knowledge and skills align with the PrintED industry-approved competencies, which validates what the student is learning and prepares them for success in the workplace or for further education,” she says. “The partnership of GAERF, NOCTI and MAVCC provides instructors with a complete package of instructional materials, assessment tools, and industry certification.” Foster says the new agreement further reinforces the collaboration among educators, curriculum developers, and industry. “We want to make it easy for students to demonstrate their competence, and we want to make it easy for employers to have access to quality employees who possess a national industry certification,” he says. PrintED is one part of GAERF’s mission. In addition to this program, the Foundation administers two other programs designed to support recruitment and training of a skilled workforce: the grant-making program which since its inception in 1983, has awarded over $4.5 million in funding, and MAKE YOUR MARK in Graphic Communications at www.makeyourmark.org, a campaign to high schools aimed at promoting a positive image of the printing and graphic communications industry and raising student awareness of the industry’s diverse career opportunities. The Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation was created by the National Association for Printing Leadership, NPES The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing, and Converting Technologies and the Printing Industries of America in 1983. These three national associations jointly own the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC). GAERF was created to channel a portion of the revenues earned by GASC- managed shows into projects supporting a strong future for the industry. For additional information about the Foundation and its programs, visit the GAERF web site at www.gaerf.org or call toll-free at 866/381-9839.