So, is containers/packaging a good career path? You must give some thought to how a career in containers or packaging will fit in with your long-term professional objectives if you are contemplating such a path.
There is no question that a career in container packing may be pretty satisfying. However, before beginning work in this industry, we have to consider a variety of factors first.
For example, the choice of job path that you choose now will influence the rest of your life. As a result, you have to think about the wage, the availability of jobs, and how satisfied you will be.
So, before you make that choice, let us address those crucial questions you have about the job path that entails working with containers or packaging.
Job Outlook
According to projections made by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, they expect the total employment of manual laborers and equipment movers to increase by 7 percent between the years 2020 and 2030. It is around the same pace as the average for all types of jobs.
In addition, the BLS anticipates that there will be, on average, around 941,100 job opportunities for manual laborers and material movers during the decade.
In addition, a big part of these possibilities is likely to come from the need to replace workers who change jobs or leave the workforce for reasons like retirement.
What Is Containers/Packaging?
The phrase “container” or “packaging” is an umbrella term that describes the process of putting together a variety of structures, envelopes, and envelope-like structures to house a wide range of goods.
In addition, I do the manufacturing of containers and packaging in a variety of other businesses. Therefore, you have the option of working in the retail sector, the food and beverage industry, the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, the pharmaceutical industry, or the cosmetics industry.
In addition to that, one of the duties associated with working in this industry is moving items from the plant into cars. In a similar vein, you can construct products that other people produce.
You also have the option of working in the manufacturing industry as a supervisor in one of the companies. Therefore, one of your responsibilities would be to assist the factory supervisor in supervising the employees that work there.
Is Containers/Packaging a Good Career Path?
Yes.
People who take pleasure in working with machinery and other produced goods could find that a job in containers or packaging offers them a lot of professional satisfaction.
In addition, the container and packaging industry is an excellent industry to work in since it offers a wide range of career options, many of which are lucrative, and enough room for professional advancement. In addition, jobs in the packaging and container industry often start at an entry level and pay about $28,000 annually.
However, positions in packing need a significant amount of physical strength. Having said that, if you have previous expertise in container manufacturing or stuffing, then you are qualified to take on a supervisory or management position.
It would seem that the requirements of society, both now and in the foreseeable future, have a significant role in the professional path of a package designer. As a result, people are becoming more environmentally aware as a direct consequence of the fast change in lifestyles. As a direct result of this, there is a rise in demand for ecologically friendly items, which need innovation in the design of the packaging.
A career in packaging offers opportunities in a wide range of subfields, each of which requires a particular set of skills. For instance, writing, graphic design, and printing are just a few of the many ways we can do the job. The most favorable aspect of the packaging industry is the abundance of employment chances offered by a wide variety of businesses and organizations located in different parts of the globe.
How Many Jobs Are There in Containers/Packaging?
If you are interested in pursuing a career in packaging and believe it would be a good fit for you, you have a wide variety of employment opportunities from which to choose while looking for work. Here is a list of jobs in the packaging industry, along with their primary duties and the average annual salary for each position in the country:
Packer
Average Salary: $30,485 per year
The primary responsibilities of packers include taking care of the packing and transportation of commodities purchased from various suppliers. They spend most of their time working in warehouses, where their primary responsibilities consist of labeling things and getting them ready for transportation. In many cases, packers are responsible for doing inspections, which may include weighing and measuring both the goods and the containers in which I sent them. A frequent check of the spaces used for warehousing and packing may also be part of their job responsibilities for the quality assurance of the organization. For individuals considering a career in the packaging business but not sure where to start, the packaging is an excellent choice for entry-level work.
Warehouse Worker
Average Salary: $31,184 per year
The primary responsibilities of warehouse personnel are to take receipt of merchandise, a process that stock, and arrange that stock inside the warehouse. Depending on the warehouse, they may also be responsible for a variety of other tasks, such as preparing and packaging orders, taking product inventory, loading shipping containers, and moving goods between different suppliers. We may also expect workers who work in warehouses to utilize a variety of tools and machinery, including forklifts and large vehicles.
Stocker
Average Salary: $33,045 per year
Primary responsibilities The primary duty of a stocker is to guarantee that they fill all storage facilities with the appropriate quantities of items at all times. Stockers require in a variety of diverse employment settings, including grocery shops, shopping malls, warehouses, office buildings, and restaurants. In addition, a stocker can build up displays that promote certain items or promotions. They may also support loaders with the loading and unloading of items from shipment boats and assist managers with shipping records. Lastly, they may assist managers with the maintenance of shipping records.
Assembly Technician
Average Salary: $35,457 per year
Assembly technicians’ primary responsibilities include moving assembly lines along and executing operations essential for the unloading, loading, arranging, packaging, and shipping of items. Those who thrive in environments where they must collaborate with others may find satisfaction in pursuing a profession as an assembly technician. There is also the possibility of advancement into higher management roles for assembly technicians.
Loader
Average Salary: $35,719 per year
Loaders are responsible for loading and unloading items into various modes of transportation, including trucks, containers, trains, aircraft, and cargo ships, as indicated by the job description of the position. In addition, they transport objects to the locations marked for them without causing any damage to the products while they are in the process. As part of their job responsibilities, loaders may also be responsible for operating various tools and pieces of equipment.
Shipping Coordinator
Average Salary: $39,830 per year
The primary responsibilities of shipping coordinators include the collection and documentation of relevant shipment information. They are responsible for coordinating shipment schedules as well as determining which shipping methods are acceptable for the various items. Additionally, to streamline the shipping process, a shipping coordinator may delegate other personnel to multiple sections of a warehouse or loading site.
Product Tester
Average Salary: $43,037 per year
Product testers are responsible for evaluating the quality of essential packaging materials as their primary duty in the packaging sector. When preparing some shipments, specific considerations, such as the need for refrigeration or the requirement for more caution when handling delicate objects, need to be taken into account. For example, product testers assess adhesives by seeing how well the substances perform in a variety of settings. They also conduct tests on the boxes, cartons, bottles, and other materials that they use for packing products to verify that they are well-suited for shipping items, taking into consideration aspects such as climate and the ingredients that make up the product itself.
Packaging Operator
Average Salary: $47,932 per year
The essential duties of a packaging operator involve emphasizing the tools and materials utilized throughout the packaging process rather than the things being packaged. For example, a packing operator can be responsible for the inspection and maintenance of the equipment and systems used for the processing of products. Some examples of such machinery and methods include barcode scanners, conveyor belts, and forklifts. Those with a history in the mechanics and maintenance of equipment would do well to consider applying for this position if they are interested in finding solutions to complex problems.
Warehouse Manager
Average Salary: $58,262 per year
The primary responsibilities of warehouse managers include monitoring and directing the day-to-day activities of a storage facility. The receipt and processing of shipments, the training and evaluation of workers, the ordering of packing materials, and the monitoring of employee compliance with workplace standards are some of the activities that fall within their purview. In addition, they maintain the most crucial channel of communication between the company and its staff via the warehouse managers.
Quality Assurance Manager
Average Salary: $72,300 per year
The primary responsibilities of a quality assurance manager include making sure that items are packed appropriately and by the specifications of the business before they send them out for delivery. Their primary responsibility is to evaluate the items’ overall quality to ensure that customers are happy with their purchases. Therefore, it is essential to provide careful attention to the items’ packaging if one wants to minimize the possibility of damage occurring during transport. In addition to this, quality assurance managers are responsible for the enforcement of safety standards and the conduct of inspections; these activities ensure that the working environment for packaging is both safe and effective.
Packaging Engineer
Average Salary: $81,631 per year
They task packaging engineers with the primary responsibility of designing the many types of packaging materials that use in the distribution of goods. A profession in package engineering entails the production of different kinds of boxes, cartons, containers, and other packaging materials to provide adequate support for the transportation of certain commodities. In addition, they should consider the mathematical and scientific expertise of those who work in the packaging engineering field. For example, the science that goes into developing food packaging is distinct from the science that goes into designing clothing packaging or packaging for hardware.
Product Designer
Average Salary: $98,321 per year
The primary responsibilities of a designer include the creation of all aspects of a company’s packaging, including the colors, images, and typefaces used. Designers also take into consideration the materials that they will utilize to produce the product’s packaging since some things demand a more significant amount of handling than others. Finally, as a result of the fact that they also devise methods by which their work might differentiate itself from that of other designers, package designers are an essential component of the marketing team of a firm.
Assembly Technician
Annual Salary: $69,306
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that between 2016 and 2026, there will be a 17% growth in employment possibilities for assembly technicians.
An assembly technician’s primary responsibility is to put together products from their respective parts. They may also need you to develop minor pieces and components to produce new goods that tailor to the requirements of individual customers.
In the United States, an assembly technician can expect to make an average of $18.36 per hour in compensation. The 12,600 wages that list on Indeed.com in 2022 served as the basis for their estimation.
Consumer Behavior Analyst
Annual salary: $77,467 Per Year
The primary responsibility of a consumer behavior analyst is to investigate and get an understanding of the behavior of consumers while making purchasing decisions. The next step is to develop a presentation for the product’s container that will appeal to the particular customer.
You will use a wide variety of research approaches during your career as a consumer analyst. Experiments, focus groups, and surveys are just some of the several techniques that they might use.
However, consumer behavior analysts do not function in solitude at any point in time. They instead collaborate closely with the teams responsible for marketing and product development.
Because of this, the firm will now be able to design packaging that is both aesthetically pleasing and practical.
In addition, a simple calculation will tell you that your hourly wage is around $37.24. the amounts to $1,490 a week or $6,456 per month, depending on how you look at it.
Package Designer
Average salary: $65,789 Per Year
Designers of packaging are the people who are in charge of the design, development, and manufacture of various containers and packaging. The occupation is always in demand and offers a good wage in addition to a large number of work chances.
To be successful in the field of package design, one has to be artistically gifted, have a good eye for design, and have a fundamental comprehension of how the engineering process works. There are typically two sorts of projects that package designers work on:
The process of developing innovative packaging for a product or a firm
Changing the look of the packaging that is already available to make it more attractive to customers
How Much Can You Make In Containers/Packaging?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in May 2022, packaging experts earned a mean annual pay of $30,950, which works out to a mean hourly wage of $14.88.
Incomes typically ranged from $23,030 per year, or $11.07 per hour, way up to $38,220, or $18.38 per hour. They vary in some cases.
In addition, wages in Alaska, the District of Columbia, and New Jersey were each the highest in the nation, coming in at $37,020, $34,830, and $34,420, respectively.
On the other hand, the incomes of packaging experts in the state of Louisiana ranged from $17,610 to $37,210 per year, making it the state with the lowest median pay.
What Are the Best Paying Jobs in Containers/Packaging?
- Product designer: $92,000
- Packaging engineer: $81,000
- Quality assurance manager: $72,000
- Warehouse manager: $58,330
- Packaging operator: $47,340
What Are the Pros and Cons of Working in the Containers/Packaging Field?
Pros
Insurance, health, and overall wellbeing are three of the primary advantages that come with using containers and packing. After researching Glassdoor, our team concluded that dental insurance is the perk with the highest overall rating.
Following that, health savings accounts (HSAs) and vision insurance come in at number two, with health insurance coming in at number three as the lowest rated.
- Dental Insurance
- Insurance for Medical Care
- Vision Insurance for People
- Health Savings Accounts (HSA)
Cons
There are not many cons of working in the containers/packaging industry, but the work can be labor intensive and often dangerous.
Final Words
We may find containers and other forms of packing almost everywhere, and we can see their application in a wide range of different businesses. For example, the field of supply chain management is one of the most profitable businesses, particularly for those who work in the shipping industry. It is particularly true for those who work in the logistics sector. It is because having a grasp of how to manage the movement of commodities from their place of origin to their point of destination is required.
As a consequence of this, businesses in this sector are continuously searching for qualified new candidates to fill the jobs that they currently have open. In this article, we will cover some of the occupations in the container and packing industries that provide some of the most acceptable compensation, and we will focus specifically on employment in the shipping and receiving departments.
The container business has been one that has been developing dramatically over the last few years due to its capability of efficiently moving products through ports across the globe and its cheap cost in comparison to other ways of transportation. Containers are also one of the most ecologically beneficial methods to carry out an activity.
