Most Recent Blog Posts
Check out the latest blog posts for what's happening in the packaging and processing industry for women, including tips, career advice, what to look out for and more.
Check out the latest blog posts for what's happening in the packaging and processing industry for women, including tips, career advice, what to look out for and more.
Leading a cross-functional team? Working on a high-visibility project? Finding yourself surrounded by new employees? We’ve all been there. As a leader, it is how you handle yourself and support your peers in these situations that really makes a difference.
While scrolling through my LinkedIn and Instagram feeds a while ago, I came across this great image. I can’t remember from where it originated – but it spoke to me. Who doesn’t like being comfortable? That’s what most of us strive for: a cozy home to go to at the end of the day; a way to reduce stress in the workplace; an anxiety-free life.
As an older Millennial from the Midwest, a career in packaging never crossed my mind until I pretty much fell into it. I ended up in the industry entirely by accident. Anecdotally, many of my coworkers report the same thing. So why isn’t packaging considered as a first-choice career path, especially among the younger generation?
Since joining the packaging industry in 2007, I’ve learned much about packaging processes, materials, markets, machinery and people. What is most interesting about this industry is that there are career paths for everyone, no matter what their interests and goals are. Fortunately, this multi-billion-dollar field is expected to keep growing, so multiple opportunities abound.
March 8th is International Women’s Day! Today we celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Today is all about unity, celebration, reflection, advocacy and action – both globally and at a local level.
At the 2018 PMMI Annual Meeting, ten emerging leaders were honored with On the Rise Awards, an inaugural program honoring young professionals for their leadership potential and daily efforts in the packaging and processing industry. Half of the award winners consisted of young women – and two of these women are sisters, who experienced very different journeys before ending up in the same industry.
Whether driven by nature or nurture, women and men have different leadership styles. Research repeatedly shows that female leaders demonstrate traits including collaboration, nurturing and empathy while male leaders tend to be more decisive, focused and better networkers. The challenge is what to do with these generalizations. Do we embrace them? Challenge them? Try to distill the best of both? Is this labeling reinforcing gender stereotypes we should be fighting to change?
In recent decades, women have made some serious gains in overall labor force participation, wages and access to leadership positions. However, these gains have been slow going, and females can still face barriers when pursuing career paths in traditionally male-dominated industries like packaging. But talk is cheap. Let's take a look at what the numbers say.
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.
Join the Packaging & Processing Women’s Leadership Network group on LinkedIn.
Questions? contact Tracy Stout at [email protected].
