Creativity And Career Growth In Nigeria’s Printing And Graphic Communication Industry

By Abdul-Rasheed Afolabi

The printing industry has been repositioned along the lines of graphic communication - thanks to digital technologies. The field of graphic communications holds a lot of promises, especially for young people seeking life-fulfilling careers.


Graphic Communication is endless, limitless
We cannot but communicate as human beings. Graphic communications provide endless avenues for self-expression, financial empowerment and personal development.

A quick survey of what graphic communications entails will perhaps show why this field holds so much promises. For starters, graphic communications is multi-disciplinary, covering a wide range of professions.

It is an art and a science; a blend of art, science, technology and management. Graphic communication refers to all areas of media and mass communication involving the creation, production, and distribution of images for advertising, marketing, books, magazines, newspapers, catalogs, packages and other media in printed and digital form.

1
According to the International Graphic arts Education Association (IGAEA), graphic communications can be described as ,'The processes and industries that create, develop, produce, and disseminate products utilizing or incorporating words of pictorial images to convey information, ideas and feelings'. Graphic communications, the IGAEA affirms, include family of market segments embracing the technologies of printing, publishing, packaging, electronic imaging, and their allied industries; they are often referred to as the graphic arts, print, or imaging industries.2

Graphic Communications gives a lease of Life
As long as the human race exists, the graphic communication industry will be in business. The human needs for information make communication inevitable. The graphic communication industry, particularly the print media sector, is a major contributor to meeting human needs for information material. From books to newspapers, posters, magazines, recharge cards, tickets, websites, e.t.c. the human needs for information and educational materials remain inexhaustible.

The various organizations that provide these needs are business enterprises. As such, profit remains a major goal. To make profit-making realizable, management experts have propounded different forms and types of principles. What is common to all of them is that for any business organization to make profits and remain in business the following, popularly dubbed the 4Ms, are factors to reckon with:

*Material
* Money
* Machines and
* Manpower
No matter the amount of materials, money and machines available, the process of production can never be carried out without the human factor: manpower. The graphic communication industry in spite of the advent of high sophisticated machines and equipment depend so much on manpower (skilled and unskilled). It therefore means that at every point in time a pool of capable hands must be available for the industry to tap from. The graphic communication industry in Nigeria has a plethora of job opportunities that can go a long way in solving the unemployment problem in Nigeria. The industry offers the following benefits that can solve unemployment problems in Nigeria to a great extent:

(i) Small scale entrepreneurial investment: most of the services provided by the industry can be offered on a small-scale basis by interested entrepreneurs. Take screen printing for instance. Thousands of Nigerians make their daily earnings from screen printing customized items for clients ranging from corporate organizations to individuals who have social or religious ceremonies. Other examples include: setting up of creative hot shops (for graphic designers); the production of shopping bags (packaging), photography studio, book bind services, e.t.c

(ii) The opportunity to blend talents with new technology: the graphic communication industry is essentially a creative industry. It is an industry that helps people discover and nurture their talents and thus become fulfilled individuals. As an industry that responds to both the needs and advances of society, it uses the latest technology and the most sophisticated tools of communication available. The industry has moved from a blue-collar job to a white-collar profession that thrives on sound scientific, technological and management practices. For example, the average printer in Nigeria many years back was given the appellation 'road-side printer'. Now we are in the era of 'hi-tech printers'- printers with sound knowledge of information and communication technology.

(iii) The ability to absorb professionals across diverse fields: technology has taken away the craft from graphic arts. Now, the computer is the king. This has made it possible for people in fields other than the graphic arts to have their place in the industry. Today, graduates of chemistry, engineering, management e.t.c. are gainfully employed and achieving career fulfillment in the graphic arts industry.

Graphic Communications gives Free Rein to Creativity

There are many skills and aptitude expected from entrants into the graphic communications industry. However, one that is core and thus tops the list is creativity. Graphic communicators, whatever their areas of specialization must posses a great deal of imagination. They must be able to see the world in unique ways and form interpretations from things around them. In the popular parlance of the creative industry, they must 'think outside the box'.

Graphic Communications gives Hope for the Future
A large number of graphic communication jobs are high-tech, highly skilled, high paying, creative and innovative. Positions under this category include; professional and managerial jobs, administrative, sales jobs, jobs in planning, production and machine operation. Whatever the kind of job, one thing is common: the various occupations in the graphic communications industry are stable and present ample opportunities for career growth. This is because trainings and practice in graphic communications generally imbue practitioners with skills that not only enable them to perform today's tasks but also take them into the future. Characteristically, digital publishing, animation and multimedia disciplines make use of technologies that are the stepping stones for whatever technology that emerges in the future.

Training in Graphic Communications in Nigeria
For a number of the jobs in the graphic communications industry, formal training may not always be required but those with certificates or degrees have the edge over those who do not. Besides formal training, there are various channels through which employees are trained for the graphic communication industry. These include:

(i) Apprenticeship: A registered apprentice is an employee who, under an expressed or implied agreement, is taught an occupation for a given period of time. Apprenticeship, in the printing industry in Nigeria for instance, lasts between three and seven years, depending on the area of skills to be learnt. The apprentice, having satisfied his/her master is declared qualified.

(ii) On the job training: In some cases, firms in the graphic Communications industry employ graduates fields outside graphic communication, and they are trained through on-the-job process. A good example is the graduate training scheme implanted by a Lagos-based printing firm Academy press.

Candidates for the graphic communications industry are trained through any of the following educational systems:

Vocational Enterprise Institutions (VEIs) and Innovation Enterprise Institutions (IEIs)

According to the National Board for Technical Education, the VEIs and IEIs are private institutions that offer vocational, technical, technology or professional education and training at post-basic and tertiary levels to equip secondary school leavers and working adults with vocational skills and knowledge to meet the increasing demand for technical manpower by the various sectors of the nation's economy. At present, there are quite a number of such institutions offering courses in multimedia technology. At the end of the training candidates who complete the course of study are awarded the National Innovation Diploma (NID) or the National Vocational Certificate, depending on the span of study.

Course Innovation Enterprise Institutions
Multimedia Technology AFLON Digital Institute, Abuja; Dalewares Institute of Technology, Lagos; Highland College of Technology and Further Education, Ibadan; NIIT IDM, Ikeja, Lagos; The School of Information and Media Technology, Ebonyi; Ifo College of Management and Technology, Ogun; Linet Paul Innovative Institute, Yenegoa; Onit Institute of Technology, Anambra

Source: Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination Brochure 2012/2013 Session published by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Technical colleges
Technical colleges across the country train students in Printing Craft and Graphic Arts. The qualifying examinations for candidates of technical colleges are administered by the National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB). Successful candidates are awarded the National Technical certificate (NTC) and Advanced National Technical Certificates (ANTC). Holders of the NTC have the option of working in the labour market as lower cadre employees or proceeding for further studies.

Polytechnics/Colleges of Education
Polytechnics and Colleges of education in Nigeria produce a large chunk of hands for the graphic communication industry. Courses offered in Nigeria polytechnics with substantial contents of graphic communication include:

Courses Polytechnic/College of Education
Printing Technology
Yaba College of Technology; Hussaini Adamu Federal Polytechnic, Kazaure; Federal Polytechnic Oko; Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu; Kaduna Polytechnic; Kano State Polytechnic, Benue State Polytechnic

Fine/Applied Arts
Polytechnics: Yaba College of Technology; Federal Polytechnic, Oko; Benue State Polytechnic; Ibadan Polytechnic; Institute of management and Technology, Enugu; Kogi State Polytechnic; Kano State Polytechnic; Abdul-Gusau Polytechnic, Zamfara, Federaal Polytechnic, Auchi

Colleges of Education: Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo; College of Education, Akwanga; Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri; College of Education, Ankpa; Abia State College of Education, Arochukwu; College of Education, Azare; College of Education, Offa; Cornerstone College of Education, Ikeja; Delar College of Education, Ibadan; College of Education, Ekiadolor; Enugu State College of Education (Tech); Federal College of Education, Abeokuta; Federal College of Education, Eha-Amufu; Federal College of Education, Kano; Federal College of Education, Kastina; Federal College of Education, Kontagora; Federal College of Education, Obudu; Federal College of Education, Okene; Federal College of Education,Panskin; Federal College of Education, Yola; Federal College of Education (Tech), Akoka; Federal College of Education, Asaba, Federal College of Education,Omoku; Federal College of Education, Potiskum; Federal College of Education, Umunze; College of Education, Gashua; College of Education, Gindiri; Jigawa State College of Education, Gumel; College of Education, Port Harcourt; College of Education, Hong; College of Education, Ijebu Ode; College of Education; Ikere; College of Education; Ikwo; College of Education, Ila Orangun; College of Education, Ilesha; College of Education, Ilorin; College of Education, Jalingo; College of Education, kafanchan; College of Education, Kano; College of Education, Kastina Ala; College of Education, Kebbi; College of Education, Maiduguri; College of Education, Minna; Nwanfor Oriazu College of Education, Nsugbe; College of Education, Oju; College of Education, Oro; Our Saviour Instititue of Science and Technology, Enugu; Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Otto-Ijanikin, Oyo State College of Education, Oyo, Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto; College of Education, Warri; FCT College of Education, Zuba

Source: Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination Brochure 2012/2013 Session published by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).


Universities
Several universities across Nigeria train students in different areas of graphic communication. Though they may go by different names, and have different curricula, they essentially empower students with technical, communication and administrative skills required in the industry. Some of the courses and universities offering them are:

Courses Universities
Industrial Design Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University of Technology, Bauchi; Federal University of Technology, Akure; Federal University of Technology, Yola, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

Fine/Applied Arts Abia State University, Uturu; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso; Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye; Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Delta State University; University of Benin; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Abia State University, Wukari Jubilee University; Niger Delta University, Bayelsa, Renaissance University, Enugu

Creative Arts University of Port Harcourt; University of Lagos; University of Maiduguri

Visual Arts and technology Cross River State University of Technology,

Industrial Arts
University of Uyo, Uyo
Communication and Multi-media Design American University of Nigeria, Yola

Source: Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination Brochure 2012/2013 Session published by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Brace up for a Rewarding Career
Graphic communications being a creative and intensely competitive industry requires highly skilled and talented workforce. The graphic communications industry is open to all and sundry; the only vital qualification is the possession of a creative mind and the passion to succeed through continuous learning and self-development. As Benjamin Franklin aptly puts it, 'If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best dividend'.

1. Excerpts from the website of Graphic Communications program, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Retrieved October 22, 2009 from www.grc.calply.edu

2. http://tecjed.vt.edu.16080/gcc/html/virtualTextbook/PDFs/Definition of Graphic Comm.pdf

Afolabi teaches digital printing and publishing at the department of Printing Technology, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos. He blogs at http://graphiccomnigeria.wordpress.com

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