Message from The President: Q2 2023

Leading New Talent to Print

It’s estimated that Generation Z, people born between 1997 and 2012, will make up more than a quarter of the U.S. workforce by 2025. That means there’s a chance at least one of your employees was born after 9/11. The print industry needs to attract its share of this young talent by understanding what they want in a work experience, challenging outdated assumptions about the print industry, and demonstrating that we offer a fulfilling career path.

On behalf of the PIAG Educational Foundation, I want to thank a special group of volunteers who recently helped introduce the print and graphic communications industry to high school students in Georgia. The PIAG members listed below served as volunteer judges and mentors for nearly 30 young people competing at the SkillsUSA Georgia State Leadership & Skills Conference.

• Heather Banis, Heidelberg
• Paul Cavanaugh, Heidelberg
• April Duncan, Scott Lithographing
• Jess Gerjets, id8
• Ed Jewell, Danger Press
• Anthony Kircheim, Heidelberg
• Courtney Linebarger, Heidelberg
• Allan Lunt, Heidelberg
• Jeff Powalisz, Heidelberg
• Steve Smith, Landa

I also want to give a big thank you to Heidelberg and Danger Press for hosting the three print-related competitions.

The PIAG Foundation has been busy so far this year. In addition to the partnership with SkillsUSA Georgia, there are four Georgia residents getting help with their tuitions at the University of Georgia, Augusta Technical College, Kennesaw State University, and North Carolina A&T State University with $20,000 in academic scholarships funded by PIAG.

I’m proud of the work our Foundation and volunteers are doing to help lead new talent into the print industry in Georgia. If you’d like more information about the work being done by the PIAG Foundation, please just let me know.

Sincerely,

Jon Krueger
PIAG President & CEO