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Advice needed on best places for various training
Hi everyone.
One or two of you may have noticed that I have been very quiet on the boards for some time now, due to our buying a pub last year and concentrating on that as well as sign-making. (As well as a few health problems thrown in along the way).
Well, I’m back!
I have decided to drag my business up by it’s ears, and get pro-active. I have stacks of new equipment which I have barely a clue what to do with, and a part-timer desperate for more work, so I need to get us both trained up.
1/ Sublimation-to get the best out of our equipment, should I approach Nova Chrome, who supplied the printers etc, or an independant (who?).
2/ The OKI printer-is a huge lump of plastic casing with an unchartered interior to me! Who should I approach to learn how to use it, as it appears it will do almost anything you ask, if you know how to ask!
3/ I have a PC60, I know you all say it’s outdated, but it is sitting here with several hundred pounds worth of ribbons and a brand new head, and cos it keeps flashing error lights I gave up on it about 18 months ago. Who would give training on this?
Any advice welcome, as I don’t want, any longer, to sit back and wait for mundane sign jobs, I need to get pro-active!
Lorraine
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7 Replies
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Whats the problems with the PC 60 and flashing lights? I have a PC 6000 and may be able to help on that
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Hi Gordon, can’t remember TBH, such a long time since I even switched it on!
Should really have gone on the dreaded a long time ago, but then, so should have a lot of things. Never enough time!
I’m sure it’s something really simple, but everything I touch seems to cause me difficulties.
Early dementia setting in, I think. 🙄 -
If it’s any consolation Lorraine, I think it’s a fairly common problem. Many of us have equipment and software that we barely know how to use. The problem is a lack of time. All new systems take time to learn to get the best use out of them. Alison and I are currently in a rut using 12 year old sign design software, simply because It’s what we know and learning to use more up to date stuff takes time – so we tend to stick with what we know.
I’m becoming quite expert with Corel Draw and printing using a Cadet and Wasatch RIP. Simply because this is the side of the business I am concentrating most on. Meanwhile, Alison is kept busy on a day to day basis using or existing software which is now obsolete. However, she barely knows how to switch on the Cadet printer simply because I have never had the time to show her what I already know. Likewise, she is the expert in our accountancy software much of which I haven’t a clue about!
I’m acutely aware that we both need to spend time learning to use new systems and software. The problem is that on a day to day basis you are always too busy doing your normal work, never mind setting aside time for training.
With the current credit crunch – and associated downturn in business, now is the time for many of us to hone up on new skills given that we are probably not quite as busy as we would normally be producing signs.
Sorry this does not answer your question, this is merely an acknowledgment that many of us share similar concerns.
The answer (I think) is that there is no quick fix – we all need to set aside the time needed to learn new systems.
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Phil, I can sympathies with you entirely,
but, your problem is that you did not upgrade your software when you should have done, so instead of a small learning curve, once every year or so, you are now faced with a completely new system that can take months to learn proficiently.Lynn is also in the same situation as Allison, as soon as print is mentioned, she goes and does the vat return!
Lorraine, liken the signs to the Pub, it has probably taken you ages to settle in and get it right, it is not something you can learn overnight,
it is not just a matter of pressing a button to make a sign,
the same as its not just pressing a button to pull a good pint.Peter
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quote Peter Normington:Phil, I can sympathies with you entirely,
but, your problem is that you did not upgrade your software when you should have done, so instead of a small learning curve, once every year or so, you are now faced with a completely new system that can take months to learn proficiently.Not quite true Peter. I made the mistake of starting out with software that eventually got dropped (casmate) and is no longer supported. I now wish (with the benefit of hindsight) I had started with Signlab as this has evolved over the years. I first cross upgraded to signlab version 5.0 (then later version 7) but because we had already established ourselves using Casmate we stuck with it. What we should have done was switch to Signlab 5 when we first bought it. But because the learning curve was slowing down our productivity we ended up sticking with what we knew best.
We are now at the stage where we are looking to invest in a new cutter and design software and I am inclined to wards spending the time to get us both proficient with the latest version of corel which I believe will do everything we require for our business.
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Point Taken Phil.
But if you are going to invest in new design sofware, you should consider signlab, (Sorry to go off on a tangent Lorraine)
it still Knocks the spots off illustrator and corel for cutting vinyl and is now pretty good for print as well.OK some will disagree, but that may be for a another topic, sorry again Lorraine for the bit of a hijack
Peter
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No worries Peter, all views are interesting, especially as I am using Signlab, and have been for nearly 5 years, but I still only use the bits I know. As Phil said, I’m too busy doing work stuff to take time out to learn-everything I have learnt so far has been self-taught and ‘on the job’, but it is time now to take things several steps higher.
Lorraine
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