For the most part, not many kids grow up thinking, “I’m going be in the sign industry someday!” And even if this is some young kid’s dream, there are no trade schools or universities offering a degree in sign technology.
The truth is, unless you were born into the industry, sign making is rarely considered a career path. This isn’t due to a lack of opportunity—the demand is huge—but rather because it isn’t taught like other trades.
So, how do we overcome this challenge in an industry that depends on a skilled workforce? I believe it will take both effort and creativity, not only from shop owners but also from industry experts who are passionate about their craft.
Take the industry to them!
I love what Al DePoalo recently posted in the Behind the Signs Facebook community:
“Don’t forget about the young ones coming up—the ones in school who don’t know what they want to do yet. We need to introduce them to the sign industry, explain why this work is the best work, and why they should want to do it.”
Al’s message is important. There are countless young people graduating from high school, leaving the military after a few years of service, or attending community college without a clear career path. How can we reach them and teach them the trade?
We need to get creative and make use of the resources available. Start with your local High School or Community College by reaching out to the Career & Technical Education Coordinator, Guidance Counselor, or Principal. If they have a career day, participate in the event. If they don’t, offer to host a shop tour where students can see the industry in action.
Make it fun! Create a poster with a QR code that says “Learn to Make Signs” and post it on school bulletin boards, or have it included in school announcements and social media. Let students know they’ll receive some swag, and if the school agrees, extracurricular credits that could enhance their transcripts— for when they apply to “Sign Shop University” one day! HA!
Not only does this give you an opportunity to find potential future employees, but more importantly, it introduces sign making as an exciting and rewarding career path.
Internships and Mentoring
Let’s start with what you have—your skill set and the skills of your current team. Building a stable company that attracts quality talent takes time and patience, but if you want long-term success, you must be willing to invest in the growth of those who join your team.
There is a sign shop here in Austin that offers paid summer internships to high school students, pairing them with experienced team members. This not only gives back to the community but also serves as a great way to start training future employees.
I know this sounds easier said than done, especially if you’re running a small shop with just a couple of people. You’re already overwhelmed with daily tasks, let alone finding time to teach a young person how to press “print” on your Roland. But as sign shop owners, it’s important we do this. At some point in your journey, whether it was a parent, a mentor, or a family friend, someone took the time to teach you.
Maybe you had the opportunity to shadow an expert—that’s pretty much how it worked for me. I got my start in the industry selling signs and had a great mentor who worked with me for several months before I was sent out on my own. Whatever you decide to set up for your internal training is up to you and your staff, but now, it’s your turn to pass that knowledge on—so your shop and this industry can continue to thrive.
Sign Associations and Tradeshows
I can’t over emphasize the value of being a member of your local sign association. Organizations like the Texas Sign Association and Mid-South Sign Association—both of which I am a member—consistently offer training and certification events. In many cases, members receive discounts on these training sessions. I highly recommend reaching out to your local sign association’s Executive Director to learn about upcoming training opportunities and how your team can benefit.
The International Sign Association (Signs.org) not only provides an entire section on “Resources and Training” for online courses and on-site education, but they also host one of the best sign industry trade shows in the world (in my humble opinion). Instead of letting the cost of attending the show dissuade you, view it as an investment in both your training and the development of your team. From educational sessions to in-booth technical training and cutting-edge industry innovations, there’s no better place to expand your knowledge. Attending this event should be a key part of your shop’s educational program.
Suppliers and Equipment Reps
Your local supply reps are your partners in the industry. When you succeed, they succeed. This applies to equipment manufacturers, electronic message center manufacturers, and any company you purchase supplies from. Many of these companies host open houses in your area—think of them as mini trade shows with great networking, hands-on training, and usually some good barbecue! These events often feature manufacturer reps who provide focused training on materials, application methods, the latest equipment, and how to use it effectively.
We invited supply reps to our shop all the time, and they were always willing to set up training sessions for anything we purchased. All you have to do is ask. There are always opportunities to arrange training with these partners, and I promise—they will accommodate you.
Training Consultants
There are also several high-quality training consultants that can help train your team. I encourage you to do a little research and reach out to them for more information:
- Make It Happen Signage Academy (signage-academy.com)
This group holds workshops across the country and at tradeshows.
- Freedom Solutions (facebook.com/freedomsolutions)
This group offers on-site training focused on systems and business development.
- Adendo (adendo.com)
This group provides online training courses for business and technical skills.
- Better Sign Shop (bettersignshop.com)
This group provides online training courses and mentoring.
Do Your Part!
At the end of the day, if we love the sign industry, we need to love training—not just for ourselves, but for future generations. While we wait for more official trade programs, let’s teach our craft to anyone willing to learn and put in the work.
Joe Arenella: Founder of Sign Tech International, a sign shop with 60 employees that made signs for national chains, local developers, and big projects like the Dallas Cowboy Stadium. He turned from sign shop owner to software founder! With SignTracker (an Inktavo company), he makes job tracking and sign quoting easy for sign shop owners.
Elizabeth Arenella Toynes (Liz) grew up in the sign industry as Joe’s daughter. After swearing off the industry and earning her degree in accounting, she got wrangled back in. She now co-owns and operates Studio Dzo, a multidisciplinary design studio that specializes in designing and building beautiful, inclusive, and effective signage and wayfinding that elevate brands and experiences, with her husband Russell in Austin, Texas.
You can also find Joe and Liz on the Behind the Signs Facebook Community for industry tips and free resources, and on the Behind the Signs Podcast where they discusses the ins and outs of owning a sign business.
