Entry Level Qualification 

10

Career Fields 

Mechanic & Technician

For Specially Abled 

Career Entrance Exam 

No Entrance Exam

About Career 

As a Printing Technologist, you will use various methods and techniques of printing to produce newspapers, magazines, journals, books, posters, pamphlets, billboards, hoardings, printed clothes, etc. You will be using different printing techniques and technologies such as screen printing, laser printing, offset printing, flexography, gravure, intaglio, pad printing, and relief printing to print on various materials such as paper, plastic, cloth, apparel, flex (a plastic-coated material), metal, etc.

You will be involved in the printing process or supervise the work of technicians over the entire printing process which includes designing, type and image setting, preparing the plate or image from which printing will be done, operating printing machines, troubleshooting printing processes, cutting of printed pages or other materials, binding of pages as well as various other finishing processes.

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

As a Printing Technologist, you will be engaged with one or more of the following roles and responsibilities: -

1. Examining job orders for determining quantities to be printed, colours, or special printing instructions.

2. Downloading or scanning soft copies of documents to be printed, through printing production software.

3. Verifying that both paper (or other printing materials such as plastic, flex, cloth, apparel, etc.) and ink quantities and quality meet their requirements for a given job.

4. Mixing proper amounts of ink and colours required for a given work order.

5. Adjusting digital files to change fonts, graphics, colour separations etc.

6. Preparing the plate (for offset printing, pad printing, intaglio, flexography, and similar printing processes), stencil (for screen printing) or the image (for laser or digital printing process) for printing.

7. Starting and adjusting the printing presses and feeding the papers through the sheet cylinders or other methods.

8. Collecting and inspecting random samples of printed pages during print runs for identifying any necessary adjustments to be made.

9. Cleaning or oiling, presses, and associated parts when press runs are complete and download completed jobs for further review, alterations etc.

10. Performing routine maintenance checks of printing presses, such as inspecting ink alignment, printing rollers, sheet/paper cylinders, cables, and lines.

11. Diagnosing mechanical problems, making minor repairs or determining how to fix them.

Career Entry Pathway 

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies – Diploma in Printing Engineering / Technology

After Class 10, you can go for a Diploma in Printing Engineering / Technology or similar disciplines.

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies –Class 11-12 with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics & any other subject as per scheme of studies – Bachelors’ degree (B.E, B. Tech etc.) in Printing Engineering / Technology

After Class 12, you can go for a Bachelors’ degree (B.E, B. Tech, etc.) in Printing Engineering / Technology or similar disciplines.

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies – Class 11-12 with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics & any other subject as per scheme of studies –B. Voc in ‘Printing Technology’ or ‘Rapid Prototyping & 3d Printing Course’ or related disciplines

After Class 12, you can go for a B. Voc course in ‘Printing Technology’ or ‘Rapid Prototyping & 3d Printing Course’ or related disciplines.

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies – Diploma in Printing Engineering or Technology – Lateral Entry (direct to 2nd year) to Bachelor Degree in Printing Engineering / Technology

After Class 10, you can do a Diploma in Printing Engineering or Technology or similar courses and then take a Lateral Entry (direct to 2nd year) to Bachelor Degree in Printing Engineering / Technology or related courses.

Required Qualification & Competencies 

After Class 10 with any subjects or with Science and Mathematics, you can do NSQF / ITI training programs / Diploma in ‘Printing Technology’ or similar courses. You can also complete Class 11-12 and proceed with Diploma / B. Voc./ B.E courses.

Various private/public vocational training establishments across India offer related courses on:

1. Printing Engineering

2. Screen Printing

3. Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing

4. Print Media Publishing Trades

5. Printmaking

6. Litho – Offset Machine Minder (Non-Engg)

7. Litho – Offset Machine Minder

8. Offset Machine Minder

After Class 10, you can do a Diploma or you can finish Class 11-12 with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics along with any other subjects and then go for a Bachelor’s Degree(B.E, B. Tech, etc.)or a B. Voc Degree.

Various private/public vocational training establishments across India offer related courses on:

1. Printing Engineering

2. Screen Printing

3. Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing

4. Print Media Publishing Trades

5. Printmaking

Competencies Required

1. You should have interests for Realistic Occupations. Realistic occupations involve more practical and hands-on activities than paperwork or office work. Realistic occupations often involve physical activities for getting things done using various tools and equipment. 

2. You should have interests for Conventional Occupations. Conventional occupations involve repetitive and routine tasks as well as fixed processes or procedures for getting things done. These occupations involve working more with data, systems, and procedures and less with ideas or creativity.  

3. You should have knowledge of Engineering and Technology - various applications of one or more branches of Engineering Science & Technology about design, development, prototype testing, installation, repair, and maintenance.

4. You should have knowledge of Mechanical Engineering & Technology - Mechanical Engineering & Technologies which include design, development, testing, manufacturing, installation, operations, repair and maintenance of different machinery, devices, equipment, and tools.

5. You should have Quality Control Analysis Skills- conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

6. You should have critical thinking Skills –analysis of complex situations, using logic and reasoning to understand the situations and take appropriate actions or make interpretations and inferences.

7. You should have Process and Operation Controlling Skills - controlling processes and operations of various machines, equipment, devices and systems using different types of electrical and electronic control instruments and systems.

8. You should have good hand-eye coordination.

9. You should have control Precision Ability - to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

10. You should have mechanical Reasoning Ability- apply basic physical principles and theories to understand how mechanical objects such as tools and machinery work and the ability to understand the rules or laws governing the work of machinery, tools, and bodies in motion.

11. You should have Visual Color Discrimination Ability - to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.

12. You should have Visualization Ability - to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

13. You are always or mostly careful about your actions and behavior.

14. You are practical always or in most situations.

15. You are always or mostly disciplined in your action and behavior.

16. You are always or mostly organized in your day-to-day life and activities.

Career - Job Opportunities & Profiles 

After obtaining the requisite qualifications, you may get opportunities in printing, publishing and packaging industry, with various roles such as:

1. Machine Operator Offset Printing

2. Junior Technician (Printing)

3. Digital Printing Machine Operator

4. Gravure Printing Machine Operator

After obtaining the requisite qualifications in Engineering, you may get opportunities in printing, publishing and packaging industry, with various roles such as:

1. Production Manager – 3D printing

2. Production Planner - Litho

3. Digital Printing Engineer

4. Gravure Printing - Engineer

5. Supervisor - Screen Printing

6. Engineer Production – Printing

Career Growth

With experience, you may expect to grow into higher levels of jobs. From a Printing Technologist, you may become a Supervisor / PrintingIn-Charge / Senior Technical Support Executive or similar. With 8-10 years of experience, you may become an Operations Manager or Printing Workshop Manager.

You may also set up your own firm for printing, packaging or related services. A lot of companies collaborate with such firms for achieving business targets.

Salary Offered  

1. In the entry level, you may earn about Rs. 15,000-Rs. 25,000 or more per month as salary

2. With 1-3 Years of experience, you may earn about Rs. 15,000-Rs. 30,000 or more per month.

3. With 4-10 Years of experience, you may earn about Rs. 20,000-Rs. 60,000 or more per month.

4. Senior professionals may earn anywhere between Rs. 35,000 – 100,000 per month or even more per month.

Monthly Earnings In Indian Rupee 

1. Entry level: 0 - 2 years of work experience 

2. Junior Level: From 1 to 12 years of work experience 

3. Mid-Level: From 5 to 20+ years of work experience 

4. Senior Level: From 10 to 25+ years of work experience (there could be exceptions in some high-end technical, financial, engineering, creative, management, sports, and other careers; also in the near future, people will reach these levels much faster in many careers and in some careers, these levels will have no meaning as those careers will be completely tech skill driven such as even now, there is almost no level in a Cyber Security Expert’s job).

Famous Personalities 

Not Available.

Work Activities 

1. Operating machines, equipment, devices, systems and processes- Using various methods and techniques to operate machines, equipment, devices, systems, and processes in industrial and other settings.

2. Monitoring processes, systems, and performance - Observing and recording information on various criteria to monitor mechanical, electronic, electrical and other processes and systems; monitoring the progress of projects and tasks.

3. Getting Information and learning– Observing, hearing, reading, using computers, or otherwise obtaining information and learning from it.

4. Handling and moving objects and materials - Using hands or otherwise use physical strength to handle and move objects and materials; manoeuvre, install, lift, place, manipulate, etc.

5. Assessing and evaluating quality - Assessing and evaluating the quality of materials, systems, processes, products, services, etc.

6. Making Decisions and solving problems - Analysis of data and information; evaluation of alternative decisions and results of decisions; taking the right decisions and solving problems.

7. Estimating quantity, cost, time and resources - Estimating sizes, volumes, distance, and quantity; estimating and determining the time, costs, and resources; estimating materials required to perform a task.

8. Identifying objects, actions, and events - Identifying various characteristics of objects; observing and understanding actions and events; understanding changes in actions and events.

9. Coaching and developing - Identifying training and professional development needs of others; coaching and training them to develop skills to perform tasks and improve performance.