Printing United Alliance has reiterated its focus on workforce development, training and education, pointing to growing uptake of its iLEARNING+ platform and wider support for students and educators entering the print industry.
The association said it is continuing to invest in education across a range of areas, including introductory print training, colour management, AI and other emerging technologies. It also offers free membership to students and educators, with graduates receiving a further two years of membership at no cost as they move into employment.
According to the Alliance, it currently provides membership to 63 educational institutions worldwide and more than 2200 students and educators, alongside more than 300 post-graduate memberships. It said 44 of those institutions are actively using its education resources, serving more than 600 students and educators and generating nearly 1500 course and certification enrolments so far.
The organisation added that it has donated almost a quarter of a million dollars in course and certification value over the past two years, with students taking an average of 2.5 courses each.
Ford Bowers, CEO of Printing United Alliance, said: “Workforce development isn’t a side initiative for our industry; it’s a strategic imperative. From foundational courses like Print 101, to critical disciplines like color management, to emerging areas like AI, we’re focused on giving students and educators access to the same high-quality, industry-aligned training used by leading print companies. By offering free membership and investing real dollars into education, we’re not just talking about the future of print, we’re actively building the talent pipeline that will sustain it. iLEARNING+ is career development available right at your fingertips.”
Dr. Celeste Calkins, assistant professor at Illinois State University, said the courses and certifications help students demonstrate motivation and readiness to employers, while Dr. Charles Weiss, professor of Graphic Communications at Clemson University, said he has incorporated iLEARNING+ into his senior capstone course, including certification in operations management cost estimating.
Tara Seth, a student at Ferris State University, added that access to iLEARNING+ after graduation is particularly valuable in helping new entrants continue building skills early in their careers.
Printing United Alliance said the programme is intended to strengthen links between education and industry while supporting the next generation of print professionals.
