Help wanted: careers in corrugated: as the industry faces an upcoming job shortage, it must strengthen links with schools

Paperboard Packaging, Nov, 2004 by Stephanie Ricca

Traditionally, careers in the corrugated industry can be a tough sell. But thanks to slow but steady market growth, new opportunities in graphics and lots of support from schools and industry associations, today's packaging engineering and graphic communications graduates are poised to enter the corrugated field with confidence and high prospects.

Yes, obstacles remain, like plant closings and consolidation. But like other manufacturing fields, the corrugated industry faces a period of baby boomer retirements in the near future. Forward-thinking plant owners need to wonder where the next generation of employees will come from, and how their experiences will improve the company in the long run.

Lucky for company owners, the corrugated industry has a wealth of student talent at technical colleges and four-year universities nationwide. These academic programs are diversifying and giving students more and more real-world opportunities, thanks to internships and hands-on training on donated machinery.

The challenge, according to Robin Jackson, president of the International Corrugated Packaging Foundation (ICPF), is getting the word out about the benefits of a career in corrugated. This challenge must be met head-on, she says, by a combination of education and industry involvement.

"There's a great demand coming and a short supply," Jackson says. "Today, 70 percent of large and small manufacturers [in all industries] report shortages of talent. It's going to be tough for our industry because we've been in the shadows, but we've got to close the loop."

By closing the loop, Jackson means tightening the association between industries and schools. ICPF, first established in 1985, is a joint effort of the Association of Independent Corrugated Converters (AICC) and the Fibre Box Association (FBA), founded to raise the professional bar of the corrugated industry by attracting and training bright, young, career-minded people.

The foundation hits its 20-year anniversary next year, and its imprint on the industry has been invaluable. Over the years, ICPF has forged partnerships with schools nationwide, raised millions in donations from top integrated and independent companies, placed machinery and software installations at schools for hands-on training, developed curricula for packaging programs, sponsored student design competitions, and spread the word through satellite briefings and educational materials.

Thanks to a new long-range plan, including plans for more in-depth multimedia outreach to students, ICPF is ready to keep corrugating companies and schools working together for mutual benefits.

"The industry is going through consolidation and we've been affected by that," Jackson says. "But the good companies are here to stay and they need talent. There's always been a place in our industry for talent, and companies depend on that."

The Academic Side

The source for talent in the corrugated industry lies in the schools that offer both four-year and associate degrees in packaging, printing and graphic communications. ICPF has placed asset donations at 11 schools so far, and these include diecutters, flexo presses, CAD software, and sampletables. The foundation has facilitated curriculum development, including recently organizing the online packaging degree coursework for Michigan State University, which Jackson calls "a milestone."

Corrugated plant owners know the big names in schools: Clemson University, the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Fox Valley Technical College, California Polytechnic. Professors at these schools are excited about the opportunities in corrugated for their students and they understand what students need to make it in the industry.

"Our students take jobs all over the place," says Samuel Ingram, chair of the Clemson Department of Graphic Communications. The department currently has about 400 students, and Ingram says about 20 each year may enter corrugated-related jobs, including jobs with suppliers.

The school is a major industry training ground, with its own Printing & Converting Research Center, an off-site facility for students and continued education featuring ICPF-donated Bobst and Martin presses.

These resources figure heavily into Clemson's corrugated education. Corrugated factors into many of the school's courses, and many students elect to take one of their two required internships in the industry, Ingram says.

"It's the opportunities that attract students to corrugated," he says. "They have options to go into large, small, independent or integrated plants. Corrugated fits all types of student personalities with all types of career aspirations."

Another four-year school, the University of Wisconsin-Stout, offers a Bachelor of Science degree in packaging. Students build strong foundation skills in all aspects of packaging, says Ken Neuberg, lecturer and program director for the packaging department, but corrugated is at the core.

"We use corrugated in every one of our core classes," he says. "It's always the link. Students start out learning fundamentals, then they move into Artios CAD, TAPPI and ASTM testing, display building, distribution, edge crush testing, prototypes, everything."