Standardized Education and Assessment<\/h3>\n
One of the primary challenges in the current graphics market is the lack of uniformity in installation standards. By creating a standardized curriculum, Installation United intends to bridge the gap between "good enough" and "guaranteed quality." This uniformity is essential for manufacturers, who rely on proper application to ensure the durability and performance of their products, and for brand owners, who require consistency across national retail or fleet rollouts.<\/p>\n The implications of this partnership extend far beyond the training room. By professionalizing the installer role, the PRINTING United Alliance and Installation United are addressing several critical industry pain points.<\/p>\n For the print shop, the installation is the "moment of truth." A high-quality print can be ruined by an unskilled installer, leading to costly re-prints, damaged materials, and lost client trust. By providing a verified roster of certified professionals, the new platform lowers the risk for PSPs, enabling them to confidently outsource installations across the country.<\/p>\n Installation has historically lacked a formal career path. By establishing clear credentials, Installation United is providing a roadmap for career advancement. This, in turn, helps to attract new talent to the industry, as potential workers can see a clear path from entry-level to master-level professional, complete with the corresponding prestige and earning potential.<\/p>\n Perhaps the most ambitious aspect of this initiative is the proposed professional network and online platform. This digital hub will serve as a directory, connecting producers, project management firms, and design agencies with certified installers. The inclusion of recognition programs\u2014celebrating mentorship, craftsmanship, and continued achievement\u2014is designed to foster a sense of identity and pride within the community.<\/p>\n Ken Burns, founder of Installation United, views this collaboration as a necessary maturation of the field. "This collaboration gives us an extraordinary opportunity to build upon PDAA\u2019s trusted legacy while creating the structure the installation profession needs for its next chapter," says Burns. "Our vision is to make high-quality training more accessible, establish clear and consistent standards, and give installers a career pathway they can follow for years, not simply a single certification event."<\/p>\n Burns emphasizes that the goal is to weave the installer into the fabric of the broader graphics community. "We are committed to elevating installation as a profession and strengthening the connection among installers, print producers, designers, project managers, manufacturers, and the broader graphics community."<\/p>\n As the parent association, the PRINTING United Alliance continues to exert its influence as a global leader in standards training. By bringing the PDAA under the Installation United umbrella, the Alliance demonstrates its commitment to the entire supply chain.<\/p>\n The Alliance, through its various media brands\u2014including Wide-format Impressions<\/em> and Printing Impressions<\/em>\u2014will provide the media support and industry visibility necessary to ensure the success of the new initiative. By leveraging its vast network of educational resources, such as iLEARNING+, the Alliance is ensuring that the training provided by Installation United is integrated into a broader, holistic educational framework that serves the modern printing enterprise.<\/p>\n The next 18 months will be a period of intense activity as the Hyattsville facility scales its operations and the first cohort of "Academy" partners is selected. The industry is watching closely, as the success of this model could set a precedent for how other specialized trades within the printing industry\u2014such as complex finishing, automated mailing, or specialty packaging\u2014are managed and certified.<\/p>\n As the industry gathers in Las Vegas for the 2026 Expo, the focus will not just be on the newest printers or the fastest cutting tables. It will be on the human element: the skilled professionals who apply the finishing touch. With the launch of "PDAA by Installation United," the message to the market is clear: the installation of printed graphics is a professional discipline, it is a career, and it is the foundation upon which the future of the printed experience is built. <\/p>\n By prioritizing quality, consistency, and career development, the PRINTING United Alliance and Installation United are not just training installers\u2014they are safeguarding the reputation of the entire graphic arts industry for years to come.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In a landmark move for the North American graphics and signage industry, the PRINTING United Alliance\u2014the continent\u2019s premier<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4035,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[691],"tags":[731,2072,611,1348,694,1127,4265,693,98,692,1718,697],"class_list":["post-4036","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-printing-publishing","tag-alliance","tag-certification","tag-craft","tag-elevating","tag-graphics","tag-installation","tag-installer","tag-labels","tag-partners","tag-printing","tag-revolutionize","tag-united"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/packmailer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4036","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/packmailer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/packmailer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/packmailer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/packmailer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4036"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/packmailer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4036\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/packmailer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4035"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/packmailer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4036"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/packmailer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4036"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/packmailer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4036"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"PRINTING](\"https:\/\/www.wideformatimpressions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2026\/09\/Installation-United-LOGO_Page_3-scaled-863x1024.png\"){kind=logo}
<\/figure>\n
\nImplications for the Industry: Why This Matters<\/h2>\n
Reducing Risk for Print Service Providers<\/h3>\n
Economic and Career Growth<\/h3>\n
Creating a Unified Community<\/h3>\n
\nOfficial Perspectives: A Vision for the Future<\/h2>\n
\nThe Role of PRINTING United Alliance<\/h2>\n
\nLooking Ahead: The Road to 2026 and Beyond<\/h2>\n