Overview:

The Certificate in PageMaker 5/6.5 (CPM) is a 6-month professional training course offered by the National Council of Training Academy (NCTA). This programme is designed to equip learners with desktop publishing (DTP) skills using Adobe PageMaker 5.0 and 6.5. It is ideal for beginners, students, job seekers, graphic design enthusiasts, publishing professionals, and anyone interested in learning professional page layout and design techniques.

The course provides a balanced mix of theory and hands-on training, covering the creation of books, brochures, newsletters, newspapers, and other print-ready documents. Learners will gain expertise in page design, formatting, typesetting, and print preparation.

Course Curriculum:

The CPM course emphasises practical learning and professional publishing skills, preparing learners for roles in desktop publishing and printing industries. The curriculum includes:

1. Introduction to PageMaker
   1. Overview of Desktop Publishing (DTP)
   2. Introduction to Adobe PageMaker 5.0/6.5
   3. Understanding Workspace & Tools
       
2. Creating & Saving Documents
   1. Page Layout & Design
   2. Setting Page Size, Margins & Orientation
   3. Master Pages & Templates
   4. Working with Frames, Columns & Rulers
   5. Text Flow & Page Numbering
       
3. Text Handling & Formatting
   1. Importing & Editing Text
   2. Using Fonts, Styles & Paragraph Formatting
   3. Drop Caps, Indents & Line Spacing
   4. Spell Check & Proofing Tools
       
4. Graphics & Objects
   1. Inserting & Managing Images
   2. Drawing Tools (Lines, Shapes, Boxes)
   3. Wrapping Text around Objects
   4. Aligning & Grouping Elements
       
5. Advanced Features
   1. Layers & Guides
   2. Using Colour Palettes & Gradients
   3. Creating Tables & Charts
   4. Printing Setup & Exporting Files
   5. Preparing Documents for Press/Publishing
       
6. Practical Sessions & Projects
   1. Designing Business Cards & Letterheads
   2. Creating Brochures & Flyers
   3. Designing Newsletters & Magazines
   4. Book Layout with Multiple Chapters
   5. Professional Printing Project (Final Portfolio)
       

Learning Outcomes:

After completing the CPM course, learners will be able to:

1. Design and format professional page layouts using PageMaker.
2. Create print-ready documents such as books, brochures, and newsletters.
3. Import, edit, and format text with advanced styling.
4. Insert, manage, and align images and graphics within layouts.
5. Apply templates, master pages, and design consistency across documents.
6. Prepare files for printing and publishing.
    

Career Opportunities:

Successful graduates can pursue roles such as:

1. Desktop Publishing (DTP) Operator
2. Graphic Designer (Print Media)
3. Layout Artist
4. Publishing Assistant
5. Print Media Executive
6. Freelance DTP Specialist
    

Salary Expectations:

Entry-level salaries for DTP professionals skilled in PageMaker typically range from ₹8,000 – ₹16,000 per month, depending on the role, organisation, and location. Freelancers and print media specialists can earn more based on the number of projects and clients. With experience and advanced skills in other tools (like CorelDraw, Photoshop, InDesign), higher salaries and career growth are achievable.