Message from The President: Q2 2022

Spending a Day with Gen Z

I recently got to spend a day with about a dozen members of Generation Z. It was during the SkillsUSA Georgia State Leadership & Skills Conference where the PIAG Educational Foundation led three student competitions for Graphic Communications, Screen Printing and Advertising Design. The Foundation supports this fantastic program to introduce talented young people to the print and graphic design industry.

I was so impressed by the high schoolers we met that day. They were organized and professional. They all took the competition seriously and seemed genuinely interested in learning more about the industry. A lot of the work they produced was thoughtful and creative.

A total of 24 students took part in one of the three competitions which involved a specific project and mock job interviews for each contestant. I was lucky enough to serve as an interviewer during the Advertising Design session. Some students were understandably nervous, while several had me thinking about making them an offer right there on the spot.

I want to thank our competition hosts Heidelberg USA and Advanced Impressions, along with the volunteers from the industry who helped make this possible. I’m confident it’s an experience these students will remember for a long time. And really, that’s the main idea. The Foundation wants to enrich the educational experience for these young people and demonstrate that an exciting career could be waiting for them in this industry. In other words, we’re helping to recruit your future employees and leaders.

I hope you all have a successful spring season. As always, please reach out with any questions, concerns or if you just want to talk.

Sincerely,

Jon Krueger
PIAG President & CEO