Sign Africa

According to Michelle Johnson, Director of Worldwide Marketing at SAi, with only so many box sets available on Netflix, now could be a good opportunity to learn new skills, so that when we eventually come out the other side and business resumes fully, you’re even better equipped to make up for lost time.

As most of the world continues to hunker down and endure a prolonged period of lockdown, it’s fair to say the current circumstances in which we find ourselves are perhaps the most peculiar that many of us will see in our lifetime.

As far as work goes, the nature of some roles enable some to work remotely from home; others, especially production-focused roles, have seen many people compelled to work shorter weeks, or more likely forced to sit at home for an indefinite period. As inconvenient and unwanted as it is, if you’re one of those in this situation, this could be a good period to find time that you otherwise may not have during normal conditions.

There is a wealth of content available to sign and large format print providers, much of it free-of-charge and within easy reach on platforms like YouTube. Whether focused on hardware, software or materials, such pre-recorded training videos and tutorials give users the flexibility to learn invaluable tips and tricks to improve efficiencies and inject creativity into their design to print operations.

The added ability to pause and rewind also offers the convenience to stop whenever desired and pick it up again at a more suitable time. If you’re someone who likes to be in ‘the now’, then Webinars and Live Sessions are another good option. Even during the ongoing upheaval, many suppliers are still offering free tutorials presenting important information and special insights on how to get the most from their products. If you haven’t already, I would recommend that you check if your own providers are offering such programmes.

These sessions often cover detailed demonstrations of key tools and techniques designed to enable signmaking users and large format print providers to leverage the wider potential of their printers, software or consumables.

Certain suppliers are also continuing to deliver personalised one-on-one training programmes, which for a small fee, include on-hand specialists who guide users through the exact skills needed for their product solutions. Again, ideal for those who are looking to get back up-and-running as soon as we’ve turned the corner on the coronavirus.

Hopefully, for those at the coalface of the sign and display industry, things will be back to normal sooner rather than later. And if I’m guessing correctly that ‘normal’ means a sudden yet welcome return to long days and demanding customers, then now might be the most convenient time to check out some of the useful educational opportunities that I’ve mentioned. After all, as the saying goes – ‘you learn something new every day’.

To submit your news please, contact journo@practicalpublishing.co.za 

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SAI
www.thinksai.com