COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SKILLS EXHIBITED BY COLLEGE-TRAINED AND UNTRAINED GRAPHIC DESIGNERS IN THE PRINTING INDUSTRY IN AKURE

Abstract

This study focuses on the comparative study of the skills exhibited by college-trained and untrained graphic designers in the printing industry in Akure. The specific objectives are to: investigate the number of printing houses that employ the services of college-trained and untrained graphic designers in Akure; determine the factors that are responsible for the employment of each graphic designer group; examine the factors militating against the production of good quality printing job; compare the designs produced in the printed materials of both college-trained and untrained graphic designers in terms of principles of design with a view to improving their skills. Printing establishments in the study area were visited in order to identify graphic designers responsible for the production of printed materials. The identification of these graphic designers was done through interaction. Samples of graphic design works were collected and selected for the study. Some of the samples were used to test the skills expected for the observance of the guidelines for standard graphic design work. Structured questionnaire was used to collect demographic information about the respondents and responses were elicited from the respondents on the issues raised in the research hypothesis, research questions and the objectives of the research. The numerical data obtained were subjected to statistical analyses and interpretations by using descriptive and inferential statistics. The analysed data were used to assess the skills exhibited by college-trained and untrained graphic designers in order to establish their knowledge of the principles of graphic design. The result of the analyses of data established that college-trained graphic designers produced standard graphic designs better than their untrained counterparts. The study also established that untrained graphic designers with many years of experience on the job exhibited most of the skills necessary for acceptable work and needed little training in order to increase the number of competent graphic design personnel in the study area. The study revealed that there were limited numbers of college-trained graphic designers in the study area. The study is expected to assist employers of graphic designers in the use of college-trained designers and training the untrained. It will also assist the academia in the need to emphasise the use of computer in their curricular for more excellent performance of their students in the work place.