Flexographic Tech Trains the Next Generation of Operators
AWT Labels & Packaging and Computype have teamed up to create Flexographic Tech (Flexo Tech), a Minnesota nonprofit corporation whose purpose is to educate students that want to become flexographic press operators. This program will create a much needed feeder system for flexographic printers in Minnesota and the Midwest.
“AWT has been growing rapidly and we are faced with job candidates that do not have in-depth flexo press training," Jim Lundquist, president and CEO of AWT Labels & Packaging, said. "We have struggled to train press helpers and give them the on-press experience they need. There is no local source of training in the flexographic field in Minnesota. Computype was facing the same challenges, so we teamed up to sponsor Flexographic Tech. We want to make sure our industry continues forward with the best trained operators possible.”
Shawn Oetjen is the instructor at Flexo Tech. Oetjen spent five years as a flexographic printing instructor at Dunwoody Technical College and is very well known throughout the industry. Flexo Tech students are now being trained on an eight-color Mark Andy 2200 press equipped with UV and hot air drying, cold foil, diecutting, sheeting and much more. The training facility is located at the AWT plant in Minneapolis.
There are several classes offered that range from a three-day color theory course to a 12-week flexo press operator class for students wanting to become operators. Class schedules for 2016 have been set.
For more information on class specifics, or to become a sponsor of Flexo Tech, please contact Shawn Oetjen (soetjen@awtlabelpack.com) or visit the website www.flexographictech.org.
