Graphic communication has undergone and is undergoing deep changes. One the one hand, they have been affected by an even more digitalised pre-publish plannig and on the other hand, more powerful tools that change, among other things, the relation between productivity and production costs: new techniques to set up and assimilate, which saves time with relation to competitors, but also shortens the lasting of the investment.

In most of small and medium communication enterprises, professionals concentrate on the production requirements, not takinginto consideration the time needed for appropriate training. This translates into difficulties in adapting themselves and their usual practice to new technological advancements. They must dedicate as little time as possible to the acquisition of new skills and qualifications, even in presence of an increasing demand for efficiency: understanding of different file formats; thorough knowledge of migration techniques from one application to another, or from one operative system to another; changing usual customs at work; technological and cultural awareness, among others.

They need to be walked through their training in order for them to succeed in the adaptation phase. However, traditional training methods have proved unsuccessful for the professionals' need to evolve; they do not allow for a flexible-training in a convenient time, being part of the employer's work environment (on-the-job training). Most profesional training institutions and organisations, in each country, do not have the means or the capabilities to satisfy the aforementioned issued on their own.

Who are we?

We are professionals specializing in communication, image, graphic industry and printing. Our partnership is made of two Universities of art, media and visual communication, two art schools focused on creation, one technological institute specializing in communication and image and a 15-company consortium working in the graphic industry among which we can find graphic design companies, advertising agencies, printers and silk-screen printers.

What do we propose?

This partnership mutualizes efforts and know-how in order to bring a relevant contribution to the learning problems that appear in the workplace. This group proposes to implement an environment for supporting the continuing professional development in the grpahic industry. This will enable the on-th-job profesional training in accordance with the needs of the professional. SILOgraphic means Supporting Professional Development and Innovation in the Graphic Industry.

SILOgraphic brings an innovative answer to the challenge that the on-the-job training represents, through its 4-component model : IDENTIFY, DEVELOP, ASSESS, CERTIFY. Its experimentation in an actually situation in 30 SME will contribute to testing the effectiveness of the model. Moreover, this model is completely transferabel whichever the branch of industry might be. The adaptation of a platform and technological tools, in addition open source, facilitates the transferability of this model.