- PrintPromotion GmbH trains 30 specialist teachers at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi / Ghana
- A Ghanaian expert and a trainer from the AZP Training Center for Print and Media in Chemnitz give an introduction to quality assured printing processes in theory and practice
Kumasi, Ghana, 05/03/1018 – In summer 2017, Frank Boadu was one of the participants of the four-week specialist teacher course offered by PrintPromotion GmbH in Chemnitz in Germany. Now, the 31 year old Ghanaian is standing on the other side: In the recent PrintPromotion Specialist Teacher Seminar held this week at his home university – the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi – he was one of the teachers. Together with Jürgen Seidel from the Chemnitz-based AZP and PrintPromotion Managing Director Dr. Markus Heering, Boadu familiarized 30 specialist teachers with the basics of modern quality assured printing workflows.
Desired multiplier effect
“The fact that Frank Boadu passes on the deeper know-how that he brought back from Chemnitz to the coming generation of Ghanaian printing specialists is exactly what we want to achieve with our philosophy,” explains Heering. Being a non-profit organization of the German printing and paper technology sector, PrintPromotion trains printing experts by holding seminars, courses and conferences. They spread the acquired printing know-how and knowledge of the possibilities of modern printing processes in their respective home markets. “When the active players all over the world interiorize high quality demands, this means strong promotion of the German printing and paper technology sector with a long- lasting effect,” says Heering.
As far as University Printing Press Kumasi is concerned, such know-how transfer has already made a difference. This printing company no longer works exclusively for the university, but its high quality also convinces customers from local business companies. Part of the revenues are used for the financing of the KNUST, but, nevertheless, profits are left which the team consistently invests in modern printing technology `Made in Germany`. Word of the quality thus achieved has got around in the 2.5 million city located 200 kilometres north of the country`s capital, Accra. Business is booming. The students often work extra shifts with their trainers in order to execute urgent jobs – and thus learn under real market conditions using the latest printing technology.
Good machinery infra-structure
For AZP trainer Jürgen Seidel, it was the first seminar in Ghana. Nevertheless, he was already relaxed during the preparations when he looked at the task ahead: “Frank sent a list of the available printing machines and the prepress infrastructure,” he said, going on that he was informed that only measuring instruments for quality control were needed, which he could bring from Chemnitz. The AZP trainer is often on tour for PrintPromotion in order to teach printing experts in their home countries, and he admits that a modern infrastructure like the one at KNUST Printing Press is not available everywhere.
The printers in Kumasi are optimistic that they will succeed in strengthening the small, local printing industry. Many Ghanaian companies have their print orders executed abroad; often in the Far East. In future, these orders shall be brought back into the country. The ambitions had an impact on the imports of German printing and paper technology during recent years. In 2013 and 2014, they totalled 10.7 million Euro. Also in 2016, printing and paper converting technology worth 5.6 million Euro was exported to Ghana. These figures must be seen bearing in mind that the Ghanaian gross domestic product (GDP) in 2016 was 34.7 billion Euro. For comparison: For the same year, the German GDP was 3.14 trillion Euro. Nevertheless, there are good reasons for the optimism of the Ghanaians, since the economy of this country increased by nearly six percent in 2017. According to forecasts, it will grow by nearly nine percent this year.
The PrintPromotion Seminar falls on fertile ground and offers special incentives
In this positive business environment, the training of skilled personnel is welcome. The places for the recently held PrintPromotion Seminar were quickly booked. For three days, the training team taught 30 specialist teachers – three women and 27 men – the theoretical and practical basics of quality assured printing processes. Focal subjects were data preparation, computer-to- plate platemaking as well as the printing process itself. Besides colour management, colour proofing and issues concerning calibration, the focus was on the selection of suitable printing parameters, the influences of the machine settings as well as the evaluation of the print quality. Frank Boadu, who is the Prepress Manager of KNUST Printing Press, took over the training sessions for print preparation.
The participants not only received a PrintPromotion Certificate confirming successful participation in the Specialist Teacher Seminar, but also had the opportunity to take a voluntary test at the end of the seminar. As a special incentive, an invitation to the next four- week course held at the AZP in Chemnitz is in store for the best two to three participants – and thus the chance of a strong career boost. “Many a man and many a woman made a career jump after taking part in our in-depth course,” says Heering, adding that specialists with high quality awareness are always in demand in the printing industry, no matter where on earth the region is located.
