Prepress Technicians and Workers Go Back to List Format and proof text and images submitted by designers and clients into finished pages that can be printed. Includes digital and photo typesetting. May produce printing plates.

Technology used in this occupation:
	Document management software

Tasks
	Enter, store, and retrieve information on computer-aided equipment.
	Enter, position, and alter text size, using computers, to make up and arrange pages so that printed materials can be produced.
	Maintain, adjust, and clean equipment, and perform minor repairs.
	Operate and maintain laser plate-making equipment that converts electronic data to plates without the use of film.
	Examine photographic images for obvious imperfections prior to plate making.
	Operate presses to print proofs of plates, monitoring printing quality to ensure that it is adequate.
	Examine unexposed photographic plates to detect flaws or foreign particles prior to printing.
	Examine finished plates to detect flaws, verify conformity with master plates, and measure dot sizes and centers, using light boxes and microscopes.
	Perform close alignment or registration of double and single flats to sensitized plates prior to exposure to produce composite images.
	Inspect developed film for specified results and quality, using magnifying glasses and scopes, forwarding acceptable negatives or positives to other workers or to customers.

Skills
	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
	Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
	Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
	Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Knowledge
	Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
	English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
	Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
	Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
	Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
	Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
	Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
	Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
	Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
	Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

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Education & Training   Education:   Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.   Related Experience:   Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

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Wage Information
	Region Average Entry Level  Mid-Range  Annual  Hourly  Statewide $48,983.00 $23.54  $16.21  $16.66 - $28.89  Bridgeport/Stamford $50,866.00 $24.46  $16.85  $16.66 - $30.34  Danbury $55,666.00 $26.76  $21.24  $22.11 - $32.39  Hartford $47,938.00 $23.05  $16.55  $16.82 - $25.81  New Haven $51,103.00 $24.57  $15.93  $15.89 - $31.92

Occupation Outlook ( 2016 - 2026 ) Average Annual Job Openings:   26   Employment in this occupation is expected to grow more slowly than average, and the number of annual openings will offer limited job opportunities.

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	Some of the occupational information on this page is formulated from O*NETTM v17.0 data. O*NETTM is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.