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WBTO
WBTO Skills ProfilesManufacturing, one job at a time
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WBTO, LLC · Instructor form
Printing · NAICS 323

Press Operator

Entry-Level Printing Press Operator Skills · about ten minutes. One form per program you teach. Nothing here is used to evaluate you or your program; it is used to argue for what a program needs.

Draft, pending employer validationThis skill list is a draft until five employers have rated it. Your answers tell us what programs deliver today.

Your program

The skills

We are comparing what employers need against what programs deliver. Three ratings per skill. Please answer for a typical completer, not your strongest student.
A — If a student completes your program, what level would they be at? The level a typical completer actually reaches on their first day in this job, not what the course covers.
B — What is the instructor’s own level? A program cannot teach past its instructor, so a low B is a professional development need.
C — Do you have what you need to teach it? 0 = none · 1 = some, not enough · 2 = enough for the class · ? = not sure. Under each skill we list what it takes to teach it; where you mark 0 or 1, tick what you do not have. A question mark is a fine answer.
These three together say why a gap exists, not just that it does.
0 — None. Not part of this job
1 — Awareness. Has seen it or heard of it; would be trained from scratch
2 — Competent. Can do it with help or normal supervision
3 — Proficient. Can do it on their own, to standard
One tap per row. If you do not know, leave the row untouched — blank and 0 mean different things and we treat them differently. Tapped the wrong one? The × clears it.
Follows shop safety rules around presses, cutters, and bindery machines, wears the required PPE, keeps guards and interlocks in place, and knows the eyewash, spill, and fire procedures for the pressroom.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Applies lockout/tagout before clearing jams or cleaning inside a press or bindery machine so the equipment cannot start while hands are in it.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Reads the job ticket to pull the right quantities, paper stock, inks, colors, and finishing instructions, and figures the paper the job needs using printer's measurements (points, picas, basis weight) and pieces-per-parent-sheet math, before the job goes on press.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Checks paper grain direction and stock type against the ticket, keeps stock wrapped until it is needed, and airs, jogs, and conditions it at the press so it feeds and prints correctly.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Loads sheet piles or roll stock into the press feeder, sets the feeder, guides, delivery, and feed and tension controls for the stock, and checks incoming stock for transit damage before running.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Obtains or mixes inks, fills the ink fountains and adjusts the fountain keys and flow through the run, and sets the dryer, UV cure, or spray powder for the ink and varnish being run.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Makes ready the dampening system on an offset press: mixes fountain solution to the recipe, checks its pH and conductivity, fills the dampening fountain, and sets or changes dampening roller covers and form rollers.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Mixes PMS spot colors to the formula guide, weighing the base inks on the ink scale, and checks the mixed color against the guide before the ink goes in the fountain.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Mounts, registers, and changes printing plates, blankets, and cylinders between jobs following the press manual's mounting and packing procedure, including cleaning the protective gum off the plate at mount and gumming it at removal.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Pulls the first make-ready sheets, checks them against the signed contract proof for position, coverage, and color, and holds the run until the match is approved.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Checks register marks on pulled sheets with a magnifier during the run and makes the small register adjustments needed to keep the colors in line, escalating drift it cannot correct.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Reads ink density on the control strip of pulled sheets with a reflection densitometer and tracks it against the job's target through the run.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Pulls random samples during the run and inspects them for print quality, and where the job calls for it runs the functional checks such as a barcode scan or a tape rub test.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Enters the job's settings at the press console or workstation terminal, watches the console and automated defect-detection systems during the run, responds correctly to fault, error, and alert messages, and reports pressroom humidity or temperature readings that are out of range for the press.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Recognizes common print defects such as scumming, ghosting, hickies, misfeeds, paper jams, and toner scatter, fixes the simple causes, and escalates the rest.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Cleans ink fountains, rollers, plates, and printing cylinders at the end of a run (anilox rolls and doctor blades in flexo shops), removes and cleans the dampening system on an offset press, uses the right wash solvents per the SDS, and disposes of waste properly.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Oils and greases press and bindery equipment on the preventive maintenance schedule and records the PM.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Runs a production digital press and manages its toner, fuser, and waste consumables.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Downloads or scans job files into the print production system, makes the operator-side adjustments the ticket calls for (fonts, graphics, separations), and archives completed jobs so they can be replicated.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Sets up and operates the guillotine paper cutter to cut stock and finished work to trim size safely, and checks the cut against the ticket's trim size.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Sets up and runs the paper folder, saddle stitcher, and collator to the job ticket and checks fold accuracy and page sequence against the approved dummy before the job moves on.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Sets up and runs the paper drill and the scoring, perforating, die-cutting, and laminating units to the job ticket, and handles, inspects, and stores the dies (inline die cutting in flexo shops).
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Shrink wraps, boxes, or bands finished work, makes and applies legible labels, and preps mailing jobs by weighing them on the postal scale and sorting to carrier and postal requirements.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Records counts, waste, and run times on production logs or the shop-floor terminal, including stock counted in for the job, so each job's actual usage is traceable.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.
Communicates clearly and courteously with the press crew, prepress, bindery, and customers where applicable, orally and in writing, about job status and problems.
A — Completer levelwhat a typical completer reaches on day one
B — Instructor levelyour own level on this skill
C — What you need to teach it0 none · 1 some · 2 enough · ? not sure
To teach this you would need:If you marked 0 or 1 on C, tick what you do not have, or have but not enough of.

Employability skills

Oregon publishes ten employability skills, the same statewide, so a school and an employer can point at the same list. For each one, which is closest to how your program handles it? One choice per row. “Not really addressed” is a perfectly good answer; no program covers all ten and we are not scoring you.
AdaptabilityWhat Oregon calls it with students: Open to Change
Analysis/Solution MindsetWhat Oregon calls it with students: Problem Solver
CollaborationWhat Oregon calls it with students: Team Player
CommunicationWhat Oregon calls it with students: Good Communicator
Digital LiteracyWhat Oregon calls it with students: Good with Technology
EmpathyWhat Oregon calls it with students: Sensitive to Others
Entrepreneurial MindsetWhat Oregon calls it with students: Go-Getter
ResilienceWhat Oregon calls it with students: Handles Setbacks
Self-AwarenessWhat Oregon calls it with students: Self-Understanding
Social Diversity/AwarenessWhat Oregon calls it with students: Sensitivity to Differences

Three last things

Optional: research use of your responses

WBTO studies the quality of its own assessment methods, including how consistently different experts rate the same skills. We would like to include your responses, with all identifying information removed, in that methods research, which may be published. Your name, organization, and school would never appear, and results are reported only in combined form. This choice does not affect this assessment or your participation in any way.