National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2011

• 7 - Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations
• 73 - Maintenance and equipment operation trades
• 738 - Printing press operators and other trades and related occupations, n.e.c.

7381 - Printing press operators

Printing press operators set up and operate sheet and web-fed presses to print text, illustrations and designs on a wide variety of materials such as paper, plastic, glass, leather and metal. They are employed by commercial printing companies; newspapers, magazines, and other publishing companies; and establishments in the public and private sectors that have in-house printing departments.

• Illustrative example(s)

  • apprentice pressman/woman
  • assistant pressman/woman
  • first pressman/woman
  • flexographic press operator
  • offset press operator
  • printing press operator
  • rotogravure pressman/woman - printing

  All examples

• Exclusion(s)

  • Operators of laser printers, colour and large copiers and printing machines (See 9471 Plateless printing equipment operators)
  • Screen printing artisans (See 5244 Artisans and craftspersons)
  • Supervisors, printing and related occupations (7303)
  • Textile printers (See 9441 Textile fibre and yarn, hide and pelt processing machine operators and workers)

• Main duties

  Printing press operators perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Review job orders to determine job specifications such as production time, colour sequence and quantities required, and advise press crew of these specifications
  • Mount plates or cylinders and make necessary adjustments
  • Fill ink fountains and take measurements, make adjustments and determine settings to control colour and viscosity
  • Set up press and check samples for ink coverage, alignment and registration
  • Monitor regular press runs for quality and consistency using computer control console and make adjustments as required
  • Remove and clean plates and cylinders at end of press run
  • Direct activities of press crew and ensure that safety procedures are adhered to.

• Employment requirements

  • Completion of secondary school is usually required.
  • Completion of a college program in printing technology
    or
    A combination of on-the-job training and specialized high school, college or industry courses is usually required.
  • Trade certification is available, but voluntary, in Québec.

• Additional information

  • Progression to supervisory positions, such as pressroom supervisor, is possible with experience.