Julie C. Hoover, CFPPS
Global Account Manager
SMC Corporation of America

Considering a career in packaging and processing?  I didn’t think so.  But should you? Very possibly, YES!  It’s a 10-billion-dollar industry.  If you think about it, people will likely always drink, eat, shower, take aspirin and connect electronically.

Exploring paths to position yourself as a viable resource to this industry is possible.  Four types of education offerings for packaging are: public universities, trade/company specific seminars, professional organizations and online/digital. 

Here are some specifics:

1. Public universities: www.packworld.com/schools
   • 22 total programs in the U.S.
   • 5 “complete” programs
   • Often “niche” only
   • Not always conducive to working professionals
2. Trade/company specific seminars
   • Specific topics
   • Good for networking
   • Learn, retain, apply can be a challenge due to info overload
3. Professional organizations:  www.packworld.com/packaging-associations
   • Often material or market-specific
   • PMMI U – machinery topics like risk assessment & mechatronics
   • IOPP – Certified Packaging Professional membership requires six years of experience in packaging
4. Online / Digital
   • The Packaging School: www.packagingschool.com
   • Small, bite-sized chunks of info (“micro-earning”)
   • Videos, infographics, quick reads, animation, discussions, interactive slides

Finally, tradeshows are another way to gain education: www.packworld.com/events.

In 1990, I graduated with an Industrial Engineering degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology. It was a 5:1 ratio of men to women.…I was invited to a lot of frat parties.  The GT freshman class a few years ago was 50/50 men and women.  I think this means more high-profile female leaders are visible as public role models. Diversity is a good thing.  Go forth and learn!