Prairie State Group embraces FTA’s First program

US-based Prairie State Group, a printer and laminator of flexible packaging and pressure sensitive labels, has partnered with the Flexographic Technical Association to implement the association’s First operator certification training program company-wide.

Beginning this month, roughly 50 percent of the Franklin Park, Illinois, Prairie State Group personnel, representing press operators, production coordinators, quality assurance personnel, estimators, press helpers and customer service representatives, will begin Level I of the First operator certification program, hosted online via FTA’s Test virtual campus.

FTA’s First operator certification offers three, 3-level certification programs. Each program uses e-learning technology to empower professionals to hone their expertise. Users can choose to become press operator certified, pre-press operator certified and/or implementation specialist certified.

‘We are excited to make this investment for our employees and for our company,’ said Daniel P. Doherty, company principle. ‘As an organization, we are always looking to advance. We buy new technology. We investigate better ways to improve set-ups. We upgrade our IT software; the list goes on and on. But the most important asset we have is our employees. The strong training and education that the First operator certification program provides will help Prairie State Group grow, advance and continue to be a world-class organization.’

Prairie State Group first tested the program with three employees, who now hold First press operator, pre-press operator and implementation specialist certifications. It was their positive feedback that propelled the organization’s decision to move forward, resulting in a commitment to educate a total of 49 associates.

Randy Crutchfield, pressroom manager and First implementation specialist certified, said: ‘The First operator certification program is a great way to educate everyone on the critical and central principles of flexography. I especially like that it is a web-based training tool that is easy to access, intuitive to use, and has the very latest flexographic technical material to learn and implement.’

Charles Strezo, pre-press manager and First pre-press operator certified, commented: ‘The program is hands down one of the best ways to learn flexo, from anilox to vignette and everything in between.’

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