Blue Moon Promotional, Inc. (SGIA member since 2011) recently hired 18-year-old Kaitlyn Eichen as a screen printer after she proved her abilities in the 2016 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference Championship. Eichen won first place in the screen printing technology category for secondary students, and Pierre Jamnicky of Blue Moon — and volunteer judge of the competition — took notice.
“Kaitlyn was our first choice for our screen printer position,” said Jamnicky. “Her daily duties are almost exclusively in production, operating an automatic or manual press. We also wanted to make sure she continued going to school until she is at least 21, with our support. She had six other offers for employment, but she chose to join our team, and we are extremely happy to have her.”
SGIA industry development initiatives dovetail nicely with the mission of the SkillsUSA organization in providing a skilled workforce. By investing resources in the Skills competitions, SGIA is cultivating skilled workers for future workforce needs.
“I chose Blue Moon Promotional because I wanted to get out into the world, and it would give me greater chances for upward mobility in the industry,” said Eichen. “When I first started screen printing at my tech school, I really enjoyed it and I was good at it. It sparked my interest, and it carried on into the next year where I was able to win my first medal at the national level. Screen printing is definitely something I want to continue as my career.”
For more information about how SGIA is supporting the next generation of printers, visit SGIA.org to explore the SGIA Scholarship Program, the Tom Frecska Student Printing Competition, internship opportunities, and more.
