Print service providers have experienced a labor shortage of skilled workers for the past decade, and
The printing industry is not unlike the aggregate U.S. workforce. A significant number of experienced workers are approaching retirement. In 2022, more than a quarter of the U.S. workforce was 55 or older, up from 14% twenty years earlier. In 2020, for the first time, individuals aged 65 and older outnumbered those aged five years and younger, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.1 The printing industry employed 380,209 workers in 2024. The number of workers employed in printing services declined by an average of 6.2% over the five years between 2020 and 2025.2
As mentioned, the maturation of the labor force, particularly in the printing industry, has contributed to a labor shortage. Another dynamic influencing the decisions of younger graduates to pursue a career outside the printing industry is the perception that print is old-fashioned. Many young people view printing as an outdated industry in decline because of the prevalence of paperless technologies. The conventional wisdom is that print is being replaced by online content and digital marketing. This presumption is based on a lack of awareness of the field. Career fairs and online employment events rarely showcase the printing business. Younger graduates may not be aware of the depth and breadth of modern printing or the variety of roles available. Graduates may believe the printing industry offers fewer opportunities for growth, creativity, and innovation compared to the software, artificial intelligence, or biotechnology sectors.
Sustainability is one of the most frequently discussed topics in the printing industry. Younger workers prioritize sustainability and environmental responsibility and may associate the printing industry with deforestation and waste without understanding how modern printing has adopted green practices. According to Deborah Corn, founder of the Print Media Center, “Young people may think that printing companies kill trees or pollute the world with junk mail.” 3
The printing industry faces two challenges: 1) finding potential talent and 2) keeping the talent interested and engaged. Strategies include:
Partnering with high schools, trade schools & colleges by creating internships focused on print technology, graphic design, or production management is a solid strategy. Offer a lunch-and-learn tour of your facility, highlighting the higher-tech aspects of the printing process and how it complements digital media.
To highlight career growth opportunities, develop a clear career path from machine operator to production manager to plant manager or designer to creative director. Emphasize areas of specialization, such as wide-format printing, VDP, or packaging.
Ensure that salaries and benefits compete with other skilled trades and entry-level technical roles. Lester Williams, service manager at North Carolina-based print equipment supplier Vision Office Systems, noted that the competitive Charlotte labor market forced his company to increase hourly wages by 18%. Beyond monetary benefits, younger workers increasingly seek flexible scheduling, long weekends, and the option to work from home when feasible.
Publicize your company’s efforts to reduce waste, recycle materials, and use eco-friendly inks to promote sustainability. Partnering with green organizations and obtaining sustainability certifications resonates with younger workers.
Emphasize the creative aspect of the printing process. Highlight how printing merges with digital marketing, branding, package design, and data-driven marketing—appealing to graduates interested in innovative, digital-forward careers.
With costs increasing and a shortage of skilled workers, print service providers find it difficult to maintain profitability. There is no quick fix to the labor shortage. On the other hand, production managers can implement automation relatively fast and compensate for lost labor. Automation allows less skilled employees to perform critical pre-press, printing, and post-press operations.
Electronically controlled workflow systems automate job scheduling, pre-press tasks, color management, and finishing processes. Automated bindery and finishing equipment folds, binds, and sorts with minimal human input. Blooming Color of Lombard, IL, uses a Horizon SmartStacker to eliminate manual sorting. CEO Brian Scott said, “There is no longer any hand-sorting involved.” 5
Digital presses reduce setup times, manual calibration, and maintenance compared to traditional offset printing. On-demand and variable data printing workflows decrease waste, require fewer manual adjustments, and enable the quick processing of short-run jobs.
AI-driven predictive maintenance systems monitor machine health, reducing downtime and eliminating the need for constant human supervision. AI-based quality control systems can automatically detect and fix errors, such as color corrections and image recognition.
Gimbel & Associates is an international management consulting firm dedicated to driving business growth through customized consulting services tailored to printers and direct marketers. The company advises print service providers, in-plant print operations, and vendors on implementing new technology, improving marketing strategies, and managing workflow.
1 https://www.rogergimbel.com/blog/staffing-up-strategies-for-printers-part-1
2 https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/employment/printing/433/
3 https://www.rogergimbel.com/blog/staffing-up-strategies-for-printers-part-1
4 https://www.rogergimbel.com/blog/strategies-for-staffing-part-2-how-to-keep-good-workers
5 https://www.rogergimbel.com/blog/strategies-for-staffing-fewer-workers-calls-for-technology