June 2, 2004 -- The Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation has announced that the competencies which form the basis of PrintED, its national accreditation program, are now available for licensure by state education departments, which will permit their use in graphic communications programs at the high school and post-secondary levels. The fee for the first year of licensure is $1,800, and can be renewed for up to three years at an additional cost of $600 per year. Complete information, as well as a copy of the agreement, can be obtained from GAERF at www.gaerf.org or 1899 Preston White Drive, Reston, Virginia 20191. The competencies consist of more than 400 graphic communication tasks that have been developed by industry and educators to determine if a student has attained sufficient knowledge and hands-on proficiency in Introduction to Graphic Communications, Press Operations, Digital File Preparation, Binding & Finishing, Digital File Output, Advanced Press Operations, and Advanced Digital File Preparation. In order for a program to become accredited, it must meet nine skill standards in at least two of these seven areas of accreditation. Currently, there are some 150 accredited programs in 30 different states, along with numerous accreditation candidates. "It is of the utmost importance that PrintED continues to provide the knowledge and skills development that will prepare students for entry into the workforce or for pursuit of higher education," said Foundation Chairman Randolph W. Camp, President and CEO of Monroe Graphics in Monroe, Georgia. "In making PrintED competencies available for state education systems, GAERF hopes to expand the value of this proven system more widely than ever before. PrintED can make a significant difference in the quality of personnel entering our industry, and we encourage state education officials to explore licensure of the PrintED competencies." The PrintED National Accreditation Program 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, 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.