About PPI Educational Trust
Who We Are
The PPI Educational Trust is a career education program designed to promote a strong future workforce in the print and graphics industry. Since 1989 we have encouraged students to explore and discover career pathways in our industry.
What We Do
We find, create, clarify, and promote career pathways for students of all ages to prepare for and join the thriving workforce of the print and graphics industry. We do this by supporting career days, internships, job shadowing, and by offering student scholarships.
Why We Do It
We do all of this because we love printing! We believe that it is relevant, disruptive, and that it is here to stay. But any industry is only as good as the people that work in and for it. We want to keep the visual communications industry around, and we need you to join us in celebrating the creativity, the industry, and the practicability of print media.
Get Involved
There is a way for everyone to get involved! If you are a student and are considering a career in visual communications. If you are an educator, we would love to work with you! We have many friends in the industry that are willing to give students first-hand experience in the printing industry through tours or presentations. If you are an industry worker or shop owner, join our list of supporters or donate the funds we need to keep doing what we do for you.
Internship
The future workforce of the visual communications industry is very important to us at PIA. As an association of over 700 members in the western states, we work hard to provide new and relevant pipelines from school to work for the benefit of both the future employee and student.
Do you think you might be interested in working with our industry? Then contact us in order to receive more information and to be matched with one of our capable members.
Are you an educator who is hoping to connect with us on behalf of your students? We would love to hear from you and craft an alliance custom-fit to your specific needs. Reach out to us with an email and we will gladly schedule a meetup or phone call to hear your story and offer help in any way we can!
Summer Internship Opportunity:
At PIA, our top priority is to find and develop the next generation of skilled laborer in the printing trade. We will be hiring summer interns for Portland-area print shops. This internship is a great opportunity for graduating high school seniors who are looking for a career right out of college or for college-age students who are interested in working in print. Individuals who successfully complete our internship will gain tangible skills in working at a print shop, workable knowledge of how the printing process functions, and have the potential to be hired on as a permanent full-time employee.
We are looking for applicants who have a strong work-ethic, able to do hands-on work and learn quickly. Students interested in a long-term career in the printing industry (design, manufacturing, customer service, etc.) are strongly encouraged to apply.
Print Excellence Student Award
2024 STUDENT POSTER DESIGN CONTEST
Guidelines for Submission
Please read the following guidelines carefully and adhere to all the specifications designated below. Submissions that do not meet the guideline requirements will be disqualified.
Only one entry per student is permitted
Background
PPI Educational Trust is a career education program supported by companies in the print and graphics industry. We educate students about the wide range of jobs in the industry. From press operators to managers and CEOs, we need people capable of powering print and graphics into the future. We also help connect students with scholarships, career fairs, and job opportunities. The Educational Trust is funded by donations from the print community. This is the twelfth year of our contest with scholarships awarded to the winners. Our mission is to create a poster that inspires businesses to support educational outreach in the print and graphics industry.
Winning Entries
Top high school and college winners will:
- Win BETWEEN $100 – $500 in individual scholarship money!
- Be recognized at the Annual PrintROCKS awards.
- Receive national social media recognition.
- Have their design featured in the 2024 school calendar
Eligibility
Competition is open to high school and college students in print, graphic communications, marketing, and related studies in the following states:
Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming
Entry Deadline
Submissions open January 3, 2024. A print-ready poster design must be uploaded to the provided link no later than 9:00 pm PST on Friday March 22, 2024.
Guidelines:
This year’s themes for your poster design (Choose One).
- Print is Revolutionary
- Think is Emotion
- Print is Remarkable
Specs:
- Size: 11”x 8.5” finished at 300 DPI with a 1/16” bleed on all 4 sides
- Landscape format
- Full Color
- The PIA logo which can be accessed here: PIA LOGOS
- Contact Page: Include an 8.5 x 11in (.pdf) with students’ information including name, address to include, street, city and zip code, students email, teachers name, and email, and school)
- Please send final digital files, via Dropbox bit.ly/NWStudentComp2024
- Export finished work as a PDF without crop, registration, or bleed marks.
- Remember, EMBED all photos, and outline all fonts before you save it to a PDF.
Final Submission Instructions & Checklist
- Make sure you have incorporated all the required elements in your poster.
- Export finished work as a PDF without crop, registration, or bleed
- Remember, EMBED all photos and outline all fonts before you save it to a PDF.
- Included Contact Page (with all information)
- Name your POSTER design file as follows: “first name_ last name_2024_poster”
- Upload your FINAL POSTER FILE to our Dropbox submission folder here: bit.ly/NWStudentComp2024
Voting
Entries from high school and college students will be judged in separate categories. Entries will be professionally judged by PIA members. Winners will be notified by the end of May 2024.
Questions?
Email tammy@piasc.org or call us at 323-728-9500 Ext 206.