Heidelberg Committed to Developing Future Graphic Leaders

For the eighth year running, Heidelberg USA hosted the annual SkillsUSA Georgia Competition in Advertising and Design and Graphic Communications at its North American Print and Packaging Technology Center (NAPPTC) in Kennesaw, GA in March. The Printing and Imaging Association of Georgia (PIAG) partnered with Heidelberg USA to sponsor the event, for which Heidelberg USA also loaned a number of Printmaster QM 46 presses.

PIAG’s Educational Foundation awarded $2,000 in scholarships to the first-, second-, and third-place winners. The first place winners and their advisors advance to the national SkillsUSA competition from June 22-26 in Louisville, KY. National champions are invited to compete in the WorldSkills International competition, held each fall in different locations around the globe. Heidelberg USA donates the use of three Printmaster QM 46 presses for the national competition, as well as the staff to train and conduct the competition.

The SkillsUSA Georgia competition featured advertising design, graphic communications and screen printing components. All 25 students completed a job interview and written skills assessment. The 13 advertising design competitors were then given three hours to compose, design and execute a logo and full-color advertisement. The six graphic communications students were required to demonstrate their competency in four key areas: prepress, 4-color offset printing, finishing (folding), and digital printing (output and simple VDP).  Representatives of Ricoh Americas Corp. conducted training and assessment for the Georgia Competition using a Heidelberg Linoprint C901 digital press. Following a preliminary first-day training session, all of this year’s graphic communications winners received above-average to excellent scores in all six categories.

Winners in the graphic communications competition (6 competitors) include:

• First place: Ashley Purdue – Troup County Comprehensive High School, LaGrange, Ga.
• Second place: Ezekiel Moore – Harris County High School, Hamilton, Ga.
• Third place: Helen Smith – Sandy Creek High School, Tyrone, Ga.

Winners in the advertising and design competition (13 competitors) include: 

• First place: Sydney Freeman, Maxwell High School of Technology, Lawrenceville, Ga.
• Second place: Abby Smith, Richmond Hill High School, Richmond Hill, Ga.
• Third place: Chidera Obinali – Sandy Creek High School, Tyrone, Ga.

Educational Outreach

Heidelberg backs its commitment to graphic arts education with donations of facilities, equipment, money and expertise to the next generation of graphic arts employees while they are still in school, and by providing them with opportunities to work beyond the walls of their traditional campuses. Throughout the year, Clemson University’s Graphic Communications advanced “GC 4400” class, which focuses on commercial printing with an emphasis on sheetfed offset technology, visits Heidelberg’s Technology Center to supplement their classroom work.

Said Eric Weisenmiller, associate professor for graphic communications at Clemson University, “Although Clemson’s lab facilities provide an immersive experience for our students—complete with equipment representing all of the major printing processes—Heidelberg’s Kennesaw facility expands their design horizons by making state-of-the-art equipment available for class projects. Led by some of the best in the business, Heidelberg staff demonstrations promote unique interactions that drive home the need for an efficient production workflow. Students consistently rank their visit to Heidelberg’s Technology Center as the best field trip experience of their academic career.”

College Connection

Heidelberg’s dedication to developing future leaders spills into other areas of its business. Every year, the company takes on a series of student interns in its marketing communications department, as well as in other departments. Since 2001, more than 80 student interns have gained valuable insight and practical experience by working closely with Heidelberg technical experts, product managers and other personnel to learn the business from the inside out. Heidelberg internships are open to matriculating students at colleges and universities nationwide; at present, however, the majority of Heidelberg interns are enrolled at Kennesaw State University (a Heidelberg neighbor in Kennesaw, Ga.) and Clemson University in Clemson, S.C.

Heidelberg USA’s broader support of U.S. graphic communications industry education also includes an annual donation to a general fund administered by the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF). Heidelberg executives devote their time and resources to the Board of the PGSF and supporting technical colleges and universities across the country.

Source: Heidelberg.