While the persistent gender pay gap is irritating at best (and downright depressing at worst), there are proactive steps women in print can take to incrementally increase their careers and earning power. One proven key to doing so? Continuing technical and professional education.

According to MBO Partners, completing continuing education courses or certifications related to your job or industry not only helps you earn more money, it can also set you apart from the “competition” when applying for a new job or seeking a promotion AND boost your professional confidence through mastering new subject matter or skills.

Another benefit of continuing education relevant to women in print? Networking. According to StateApproved.com, “Continuing education courses offer the chance to connect with peers, industry experts, and potential mentors, thereby expanding your professional network.”

Fortunately, for women in print there are numerous opportunities to seek continuing education to stay relevant, adaptable, and gain all of the above-mentioned benefits.

One way to start maximizing your future success is by exploring PRINTING United Alliance’s iLearning+ online center; it’s a one-stop shop of coursework relevant to a variety of functions, technical processes, and careers in the graphic communications industry. Courses are offered at the introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels.You’ll also find a variety of certification programs on the iLearning+ page in areas like customer service, PDAA, and G7+.

Identify which courses or programs look most useful to where you are now (or where the “future you” wants to go) and then review your work (and conference or business travel) schedule to determine the right time of year for you to undertake coursework. And don’t forget to check with your manager or HR team to ask about any tuition reimbursement or continuing education benefits offered by your company.

If you are a women in print CEO or an HR professional, be sure to check out the iLearning+ 20% discount offered to members of PRINTING United Alliance and/or the licensing options to integrate courses into your existing employee training systems.

With all of the online and independent learning options, going “back to school” has never been more accessible – iLearning+ is simply one platform in the marketplace – so make 2025 the year you empower yourself with a new skill, technical knowledge or certification.