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FIRST Individual Certifications

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FIRST Individual Certifications will help satisfy your customers through employee development with online, self-paced training programs.

A Document Created
for the Industry, by the Industry

For more than 20 years, FIRST (Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications & Tolerances) has helped production managers bring their printing processes to the next level by providing the procedures and methodologies necessary to produce high-quality and consistent results, pressrun after pressrun.

Over the past decade, FTA has developed state-of-the-art online, individual certification programs to help companies apply FIRST methodology. Those who carry a FIRST Individual Certification are more capable and able flexographers who can bring improvements, consistency and real results to any workflow.

Create
Clear Lines of Communication

Speak a single, common language across the entire printing supply chain.

Save time, reduce costly product waste and eliminate frustration.

Provide the best possible product to your customer on every job.

Give employees the confidence to make necessary changes before issues occur.

  • Speak a single, common language across the entire printing supply chain.
  • Save time, reduce costly product waste and eliminate frustration.
  • Provide the best possible product to your customer on every job.
  • Give employees the confidence to make necessary changes before issues occur.

Certification Brings
Benefits for Everyone

For Individuals

  • Confidence
  • Team Player
  • Pride
  • Knowledge
  • Become an Effective Communicator

For Companies

  • Consistency
  • Repeatability
  • Profitability
  • Success
  • Customer Confidence
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95% of industry professionals who complete FIRST Individual Certification training give the experience five out of five stars.

Construct a Strong Team That
Optimizes Your Workflow

Using One Common Set of Guidelines Across
All Three FIRST Individual Certification Programs

Press Operator Certification

Builds flexographic printing experts who will consistently yield the best possible print quality.

This expert press operator is proficient in color management, process control, troubleshooting and implementing corrective action procedures to bring systems into control for repeatable, predictable results.

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Prepress Operator Certification

Creates experts in the field of flexographic prepress (graphics) operations.

This expert prepress professional excels in graphic file assembly, preparation and management, image capture, process color calibration, and measuring and controlling print variables throughout the entire workflow.

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Implementation Specialist Certification

Yields experts in flexographic printing support, consultation and communication, who are proficient in communicating the principles and practices of FIRST.

It is designed for supervisors, managers and non-production personnel, including suppliers of flexographic products and services.

Learn More

Earning Certification Is a
Three-Step Process

Level One

Six Weeks
Self-Paced

Whether you’ve been on the job for two days or 27 years, Level I teaches the foundational building blocks crucial for every flexographer.

Level Two

12 Weeks
Self-Paced

Every job has its own function. Level II becomes more specific to the user’s specific roles, applications and equipment.

Level Three

12 Weeks
Self-Paced

Level III demonstrates how to apply the science of FIRST methodology by running to the numbers to control the process.

Get Your FIRST Individual Certification

Sign up and begin your online training today.

Get FIRST Certified →

All About the
FIRST Methodology

Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications & Tolerances (FIRST) supports the methodical approach to process control, optimization, fingerprinting, characterization and process improvement as outlined in CGATS TR 012-2003 (Graphic Technology – Color Reproduction and Process Control for Packaging Printing). While each organization may use its own workflow based upon its specific needs, there are certain fundamentals universal to the flexographic printing process.

With a firm understanding and application of the FIRST methodology, flexographers can: identify potentially troublesome issues, benchmark press performance, utilize statistical analysis to maintain optimal conditions, perform accurate device calibrations, identify improvement opportunities and preserve stable conditions for repeatable results—all with the end result of satisfactorily reproducing the graphic design.