What do you do as a packaging technologist?
Aren’t you grateful for the carrier bag that allows you to conveniently transport your groceries every time you go shopping? Or for the parcels that make sure your online order arrives undamaged? We have packaging technologists to thank for these things. But there’s more: as a packaging technologist, you are responsible for ensuring that computers, smartphones, furniture and food arrive undamaged at the customer. You design and produce packaging materials that optimally protect the product contents and promote the product at the same time. All of this is done with machines that you will learn to master blindfolded during your training.
In your day-to-day work in packaging technology, the customer’s ideas are your top priority. They tell you what should be packaged for which transport routes and which requirements the packaging must fulfil. Environmental protection and the climate are also becoming increasingly important. So one of your tasks is to use materials that conserve resources as much as possible and to be as clever as possible in the design and production process so that as little material as possible is wasted. An exciting and rewarding challenge! Based on your briefing, you create a sketch and coordinate it with your client. You advise them on which shape and which material you think is best suited. If they agree, it’s off to the machine. You select the right tools and make the settings so that your sketch is perfectly realised. For example, you create corrugated cardboard from several layers of paper. Once the sheet is finished, you use the die-cutting machine to make folded edges, holes and embossing. In the laboratory, you carry out a final quality check to ensure that the material has the necessary load-bearing capacity and robustness to withstand transport. But that’s not all – as a packaging technologist, you plan the material requirements and control the production processes.
Where are you needed?
As a packaging technologist, you will spend most of your time working in the large production halls of the packaging industry. You will produce the packaging that your customer needs using punching machines and presses. This packaging differs depending on the company. Some manufacturers specialise in paper and cardboard. Others produce their packaging from plastic. During your apprenticeship, you will learn about the different materials and their properties, advantages and disadvantages.
What should you bring with you?
Creativity and manual dexterity are equally important in packaging technology. A good spatial imagination will help you to understand customer requirements. Creativity and drawing skills are then required for realisation. Perhaps drawing is one of your hobbies? If you also enjoy tinkering and trying out different solutions in your free time, you are well equipped for your dual training in packaging technology. You should at least have a secondary school leaving certificate.
Your apprenticeship at a glance
- Duration 3 years
- Theory at vocational school, practice at the training company
- Training content ranges from technical drawing, materials science, printing and punching techniques to toolmaking, quality control and control technology.
- After the apprenticeship, you can continue your education in various directions. One option is to specialise in a specific area with further training. For example, you can choose between product development and paper production. With some professional experience, you can also aim to become a master craftsman. If you would prefer to study instead, the Paper Technology or Packaging Technology degree programmes are interesting options for you.