The Graphics and Printing Shop

The Reconnect Graphics and Printing Shop is a business that provides hands-on, direct on-the-job training for our youth partners. The Graphics and Printing Shop offers full service, high quality printing services; we provide services to hundreds of businesses in the New York City region each year. Our print shop can print anything onto anything, but the mainstay of our business is printing garments such as tee shirts, sweat shirts, caps, and other accessories. We also make tote bags, customized mugs, and textiles for events (such as table cloths and banners). All of our Youth Partners spend time working and being trained in our Graphics and Printing Shop. 

Our youth partners are 18-24 year old men who come to us from our local surrounding communities and through referrals with other social service providers. For a majority of our youth partners, the job with us is their first work experience; some have previously held short-term entry level jobs. 

We employ our youth partners for three months, providing them direct on the job training and supervision. 

Our Graphics and Printing Shop is led by Trace Mabane, a graphics printing industry veteran who also presently operates his own design business. Trace has 30 years experience in the field, and has held previous roles as a Shop Director, Shop Manager, Plant Manager, and Art Director. Trace is supported by Stephen Forde, Graphics Shop Manager. Stephen has several years of experience in the field, and previously ran his own printing business. Stephen is also a graduate of Reconnect from several years ago. 

Our training takes place on our campus with a fully outfitted printing and graphics shop. 

Our program prepares our youth partners to be ready for jobs in the graphics printing industry. We provide hands-on training focusing on both the essential and technical skills graphics and printing employers need from entry-level applicants.

  • •Time Management/Reliability

    •Ability to listen carefully and follow instructions carefully

    •Ability to work independently

    •Project and work order management

    •Customer Service

    •Successful relations with authority figures

    •Effective team work/being an effective team member

    •Critical thinking/problem solving

  • •Silkscreen burning, reclaiming, and cleaning

    •Job order quality control

    •Garment and accessory processing from orders in to orders out

    •Inventory management

    •Operation of a six color manual screen printing press

    •Operation of garment flashers and heating/drying equipment

    •Measuring garments for labeling for front, back, and side of garment printing

    •Reading and processing service orders

    •Reading and processing invoices for orders

    •Temperature control

    •Shipping and receiving/order processing (weighing, packaging, labeling, and shipping orders)

Our youth partners are also trained to adjust to the common conditions in a graphics print shop environment: The job is physical in nature, involves repetition, standing on one’s feet, and meeting the physical demands of operating a printing press. Our shop is also a warm work environment year-round due to heating equipment.