On July 7, 2013 all will know who is the best young Print Media Technologist (Printer) in the world. Competitors from 13 nations will assemble in Leipzig, Germany for four grueling days of competition at WorldSkills 2013 to earn a gold, silver, or bronze medal and rights to claim they are the best printer in the world. 

Heather Ashe from Clemson, South Carolina, a Junior at Clemson University was selected one year ago to represent USA at WorldSkills 2013. For the past 12 months Heather has been working with her Coach and WorldSkills Technical Expert,  Patrick Klarecki, Professor at Ferris State University and her Clemson professors Dr. Sam Ingram and Dr. Eric Weisenmiller to prepare for the competition. According to Heather, “Dr.s Ingram and Weisenmiller have been outstanding supporters, and have shared so much knowledge with me I am confident going into this competition.”

All 13 competitors will have 1:45 to make ready a Heidelberg SM 52-4 without any of the color preset automation, set perfect color and registration, run several thousand sheets, make pulls every 200 sheets, scan the sheets with an X-Rite IntelliTrax scanner and clean the press. They will be scored on their speed, accuracy, waste minimization, and quality. The tolerance for color is 3 Delta E with perfect registration. They will have two different offset jobs to produce, each in 1:45.  In addition to running the press, they will have to mix a PMS color, correctly identify rollers by measuring the diameters and durometer, set rollers on press, measure and correct fountain solution. 

Consistent with global trends, WorldSkillls 2013 will see for the first time the addition of a Digital Press portion to the competition. Competitors will have two different digital jobs requiring them to use Fiery RIP software to impose, print, and bind a multi-page, multi stock book. Competitors will also have to impose and print a sheet of postcards, program a cutter and cut the cards.

“We are a little under one month away from leaving for Germany, and I am so excited to have the opportunity to represent the Printing Industry in the USA,” Said USA Competitor Heather Ashe.  Heather continues “I am currently in Lansing Michigan for three weeks training at the Foresight Group. Rich Jensen, the Press Operator and my trainer for the SM 52 has taught me so much.”

“As globalization continues to develop daily, it is important for the graphic communications industry to have a United States representative participating in the WorldSkills Print Media Technology competition,” comments Chief Expert Patrick Klarecki. Involvement could not have been possible without the generous outreach from Foresight Group and Heidelberg USA.

Ashe will continue her training at the Foresight Group as well as train on a Ricoh C751 and Fiery RIP before leaving for Germany on June 28.