GRAPHIC ARTS INSTITUTE OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

The Graphic Arts Institute (GAI) represents a smaller, single-union, multi-firm, labor-management partnership in an industry challenged by rapid and radical technological change.

History

The GAI in San Francisco was founded in 1968 after the Graphic Communications International Union (GCIU) negotiated a national agreement for a joint training trust. At that time, there were no formal apprenticeships. Most training was on-the-job, and both unions and employer groups were eager to improve their training. The mid-1970s saw the regional centers developed with negotiated funds. The centers became a place for retraining and journeymen upgrade. In the 1980s, as the industry entered a technological revolution, the master and industry pattern agreements fell by the wayside.

By the 1990s, the union-employer training centers across the country were struggling to keep up with expensive new technologies and to counter member resistance to technological change, and faced declining financial contributions by employers. The GAI in San Francisco has emerged as one of the nation's most effective union-industry training institutes, focusing on computer-based graphics technologies. The GAI has survived by expanding its partnership base in the industry, with equipment vendors, public schools and community colleges that use the programs to keep their own graphics instructors up-to-date.

Goals

• To find technology that benefits the industry;
• To provide union members with journeyman and upgrade training on current industry technology;
• To establish working relationships with key software and hardware producers and with the companies producing key production technologies and systems.

Activities

The GAI has developed an active relationship with equipment vendors and software firms, allowing it to provide a variety of training and services. Cutting edge technology placed in the GAI enables vendors to showcase equipment and software, and allows firms to test it. As a result, union members and others entering training have the advantage of working with the newest technology. Course offerings are frequent and flexible.

• Learning laboratories are equipped with leading edge hardware and software for use in classes in graphic design, printing technologies and website creation.
• Ten-week courses meet once a week.
• The GAI offers a wide variety of two-day intensive workshops.
• Course and workshop offerings cover computers, printing technology, graphic design, print production, desktop publishing and other multimedia technology.

Results

• Throughout the 1990s, the GAI has become the leading training provider in the San Francisco region for professionals in advertising, printing and graphic design who seek proficiency in key technologies, such as desktop publishing and commercial computer graphics.
• In 1998-1999 GAI provided more than 1,400 training seats a year.
• Local colleges use GAI to keep their instructors current. In turn, the community college instructors inform their students about the GAI and its benefits.
• The GAI has been able to leverage free technology, equipment and outside tuition to allow GCIU members training dollars to go farther in providing up-to-date training. .