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Desktop Publishers

Format typescript and graphic elements using computer software to produce publication-ready material.

What you’d do

  • Operate desktop publishing software and equipment to design, lay out, and produce camera-ready copy.
  • Position text and art elements from a variety of databases in a visually appealing way to design print or web pages, using knowledge of type styles and size and layout patterns.
  • Check preliminary and final proofs for errors and make necessary corrections.
  • View monitors for visual representation of work in progress and for instructions and feedback throughout process, making modifications as necessary.
  • Enter text into computer keyboard and select the size and style of type, column width, and appropriate spacing for printed materials.
  • Prepare sample layouts for approval, using computer software.
  • Import text and art elements, such as electronic clip art or electronic files from photographs that have been scanned or produced with a digital camera, using computer software.
  • Study layout or other design instructions to determine work to be done and sequence of operations.

Skills that matter

  • Critical Thinking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Complex Problem Solving

How to get there

Medium preparation: usually vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree

Also called

  • Compositor
  • Computer Typesetter
  • Electronic Console Display Operator
  • Publisher
  • Advertising Associate
  • Design Editor

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