A perspective from Ryan LeFebvre, SPC Executive Vice President of Sales
The print industry means a lot to me. As a third-generation owner at SPC, I’m heavily invested in helping the industry evolve and grow. Currently, I am the president of Western Michigan University’s Print Advisory Committee, I serve on the board at Harper College, and I am a member of the Graphic Communications Workforce Coalition Board.
Because growth and education are important to me, I do my best to drive these efforts at SPC. We as a team take pride in being thought leaders within the industry and educating future generations. I believe we can do more by exposing individuals to print innovations, and instilling a thorough understanding of the impact they can have through a variety of roles and skill sets.
See how you can best prepare for a career in print and learn more about what we’re doing to connect new grads to opportunities in the industry.
Includes:
1. Your Path to Success
a. Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
b. Be Your Own Advocate
c. Get Real Experience
d. Enhance Your Resume and Get through the Interview
e. Get over Your FEAR
f. Explore All Options When It Comes to Learning
2. Find Your Calling
3. Future Leaders Connect
More than Ink on Paper
As of the end of 2019, print is an $818 billion dollar industry. There are more opportunities in the industry than you might think. 1
- A Different Perspective. Beyond setting up the printing presses and shipping out materials, there is a wide range of career paths to take, including in business, sales, logistics, marketing, prepress, customer service, or IT.
- Print Is Everywhere. It’s easy for print to go unnoticed, but if you really think about it, it’s all around you and you interact with it every day. Mail, billboards, product packaging, books, magazines, signage—all originate from the print industry, and all have a huge impact on our daily lives, even in this digital age. Many industries such as education, financial, medical, and retail would struggle to survive without print.
- Increase Your Exposure Sooner. Many of us are exposed to and are interested in potential career paths early in our education. Others of us are not. With the evolving landscape of job opportunities, it’s important that we introduce you to the print industry and the many fine collegiate print programs that are available to you.
Educating the Educators
As we explore ways to help make an impact, it’s clear that we have to do more than just educate students—we must also partner with institutions to help them understand the benefits and requirements of being in the print industry. With this goal in mind, we hosted the Growing Print Forum, which was focused on sharing ideas on how to enhance and strengthen print-related programs at a number of universities. We put many initiatives in place, including setting up tours of cutting-edge facilities, engaging school staff in discussions about the latest news, and offering ourselves and our expertise as a reliable print industry resource.
Changing Perceptions
I’m proud of all that SPC has done in the past and continues to do to engage with and inform the next generation. To learn more about what we’re doing to foster growth in our industry and for tips on how to position yourself as a standout candidate in the print field, please click here. You’ll even find out how you can join the SPC team.
-Ryan LeFebvre
SPC Executive Vice President of Sales
1 http://www.smithers.com/services/market-reports/printing/the-future-of-global-printing-to-2024
