Narrow web training: whether in the formal setting of a trade school, or in the label shop itself, training for narrow web printers is a necessary practice that continues to evolve.

As a converter, having the best or most up to date equipment is essentially useless without personnel who know how to operate it, and operate it well. Therefore training plays a major role in a company's success. No two organizations train their employees in identical ways. Some send their people to schools, others have trainers come to their facilities and some rely on in-house methods. Converters find training systems that works best for their company and employees.

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Two schools in the USA specialize in training press operators: the Flexographic Trade School in Fort Mill, SC, and the DiTrolio Flexographic Institute in Broadview, IL. The goal of both schools is to teach individuals how to operate flexo presses and prepare them for careers with converting companies.

Both press and prepress training are available at the Flexographic Trade School (FTS). The school offers 12-week press courses for any interested individual. More intensive four- and six-week courses are available exclusively for members and vendors of the school. A 16-week prepress course is offered, as well as custom courses that can be three days, one week or other specified lengths.

In order for individuals to be allowed in the FTS program, they must first pass an entrance exam with a score of 85 percent or higher. According to Art Fields, president of FTS, 70 percent of the people don't pass the entrance exam. He also says that younger students have more difficulty completing the entire program. Of the students under age 24, he says, the graduation rate is only 20 percent. According to Chuck Fields, sales and administrative director of FTS, the average age of students going through the program is 25 to 27. He says most students go into narrow web, though some go into wide web work.

For training purposes, FTS uses equipment from its vendor sponsors. The school recently acquired two new Mark Andy 2200 presses equipped with AAA UV units. Also recently installed is a Printing Technology Services Inc. JETFLEX Variable Data Inkjet Printing System. Students learn prepress with the DuPont FAST plate system and Esko digital imaging equipment. The school currently has no servo presses.

During their course of study, students of FTS run live work for the school's members, enabling them to get a real sense of how to run acceptable jobs. The school requires that students take a press test and a written test for graduation. Chuck Fields says there isn't a set test given on press, but that it's usually a print job for one of the FTS members. More of the final grade is based on the press test, but the written exam must also be passed for graduation. Attendance is another big …