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Prepress Technicians and Workers

Also called: Electronic Prepress Operator (EPP Operator), Plate Maker, Prepress Operator, Prepress Technician

What they do:

Format and proof text and images submitted by designers and clients into finished pages that can be printed. Includes digital and photo typesetting. May produce printing plates.

On the job, you would:
  • Generate prepress proofs in digital or other format to approximate the appearance of the final printed piece.
  • Proofread and perform quality control of text and images.
  • Enter, position, and alter text size, using computers, to make up and arrange pages so that printed materials can be produced.
On the job, you'll need:

Engineering and Technology

  • computers and electronics
  • design

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Math and Science

  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics

Manufactured or Agricultural Goods

  • manufacture and distribution of products

Basic Skills

  • keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say

Ideas and Logic

  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
  • notice when problems happen

Conventional

People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines.

  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Cooperation
  • Initiative
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Independence

Graphics or photo imaging software

  • Adobe Creative Cloud software
  • Adobe Illustrator

Presentation software

  • Microsoft PowerPoint

Desktop publishing software

  • Adobe InDesign
  • QuarkXPress

Video courtesy of CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for this position is Below Average.

New job opportunities are less likely in the future.

Median Annual Salary: $43,560

Education

High school diploma/GED or associate's degree is usually needed.