Apprenticeship training course

Packaging professional (integrated degree) (level 6)

There is 1 training provider who offers this course.

Information about Packaging professional (integrated degree) (level 6)

• Knowledge, skills and behaviours:
  View knowledge, skills and behaviours

  Knowledge

  • Packaging, purpose and function: information, containment, protection, product promotion and preservation.
  • Legislative and regulatory requirements of packaging: environmental, social, and economical sustainability.
  • Packaging materials: wood, fibreboard, glass, plastics, polymer, metals, composite, and composite materials; their properties and application.
  • Material performance testing requirements and methods.
  • Finished pack performance testing requirements and methods.
  • Customer and consumer requirements through the packaging lifecycle.
  • Consumer testing requirements and methods.
  • The interactions between machine, process, materials, and product.
  • New and emerging materials and their potential applications at scale.
  • Conversion technologies: processing raw materials to end packaging, manufacturing challenges and their solutions - moulding, forming, printing, cutting, laminating, folding, and gluing.
  • Filling, packing and labelling processes and systems: form, fill, seal, and collate.
  • Project management tools and techniques.
  • Financial considerations: budgeting, costing, profit and loss.
  • Supplier management: specifications, contractual agreements, procurement, standards for approving suppliers (ethical, quality and compliance certifications), methods of ensuring operational compliance (key performance indicators, scorecards).
  • The role of quality assurance and control in packaging; the types of quality checks undertaken throughout the lifecycle.
  • Packaging legislation and standards: security and anti-tampering, packaging essential requirements, dangerous goods, packaging waste, good manufacturing practice, and logistic standards. Impact of product specific legislation. Labelling requirements.
  • Health and safety considerations. Health and safety regulations: Health and safety management and Health and safety at work. Risk assessment and safe systems of work.
  • Research and enquiry techniques: primary and secondary research, quantitative and qualitative, validity and bias.
  • Principles of marketing as it relates to packaging: 4 P’s: place, price, product, and promotion.
  • Written communication styles and techniques.
  • Verbal communication styles and techniques.
  • Digital systems, software, and tools used by packaging professionals, GDPR and cyber security.
  • Packaging documentation: specifications, technical drawings, protocols, and reports.
  • Digital connectivity and smart packaging. Impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on packaging.
  • Packaging categories: primary, secondary, and tertiary.
  • The principles of packaging design: functional and inclusive design.
  • Graphics in packaging: artwork creation and reprographics, and colour management.
  • Printing and decorative technologies and their applications.
  • Ethical principles and the UN sustainability development goals: environmental, social, and governance (ESG).
  • The potential impact of packaging on sustainable development and strategies to reduce its impact: reduce, reuse, recycle, recover, resource consumption, and carbon emissions.
  • Environmental impact measurement techniques.
  • Design for sustainability; design for recycle and recovery, cradle to grave principles.
  • Levers for influencing packaging sustainability; life cycle assessment, customer strategies, and impact of non-government and industry organisations.
  • Packaging environmental compliance requirements, trends, and impact on practice.
  • Principles of equity, diversity and inclusion.
  • Packing development and emerging technologies.
  • Value chain analysis and the principles of continuous improvement.
  • Fault finding and problem-solving techniques.
  • The innovation process. Innovation development techniques. Innovation funding and incentives. Legal implications.
  • Characteristics of effective teams. Coaching and mentoring techniques.
  • The principles of interpersonal skills: influencing, negotiation and dealing with difficult situations.
  • The principles of knowledge sharing, coaching and mentoring.
  • Planned and unplanned CPD and recording methods.
  • Packaging supply chain requirements: logistics, storage, transportation, and conditions required for packaging components and finished goods.
  • Packaging line design and the concept of production efficiency.
  • Material waste management though the product and supply chain life cycle.
  • The principles of a circular economy and use of circular economy models.

  Skills

  • Generate packaging concepts and ideas.
  • Collect, analyse and use technical packaging data.
  • Apply procedures for physical measurement and testing of materials and packaging.
  • Plan and lead on selecting procedures, and methods for packaging tasks. For example, line trials.
  • Apply project management tools and techniques.
  • Plan and manage own time.
  • Identify costs and create a draft budget for sign-off.
  • Identify and apply quality and performance standards. For example, internal, product quality, transit safety, and food safety.
  • Apply safe systems of work.
  • Carry out risk identification, assessment, and management.
  • Identify and manage factors affecting project implementation.
  • Use techniques and tools for prototyping, for example process or product development.
  • Apply principles of marketing to evaluate and select ideas.
  • Apply research an enquiry techniques. For example, market research, consumer testing, desktop research, academic and literature research.
  • Communicate written content and prepare technical information. For example, draft and final specifications, purchase agreements, contracts, and technical reports.
  • Apply communication techniques to inform technical and non-technical colleagues and stakeholders.
  • Prepare and deliver presentations.
  • Use digital systems, software and tools. For example, computer aided engineering, business management systems, and palletisation software.
  • Assess environmental, social, and economical sustainability factors. For example, life-cycle analysis.
  • Identify and apply environmental sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance.
  • Apply and promote policies and practices to support equity, diversity, and inclusion.
  • Apply critical thinking and problem-solving techniques.
  • Apply continuous improvement techniques.
  • Monitor and evaluate individual and team performance.
  • Provide advice and guidance to others.
  • Agree objectives with individuals and teams.
  • Apply knowledge sharing, coaching and mentoring techniques.
  • Build and maintain collaborative working relationships.
  • Use negotiation and influencing techniques with colleagues or stakeholders.
  • Share and evaluate feedback on individual and team performance.
  • Develop and extend professional knowledge.

  Behaviours

  • Take responsibility for own and others health, safety, and wellbeing.
  • Positive role model for the packaging profession.
  • Prioritise and promote environmental, social, and economically sustainable practices.
  • Contributes to equity, diversity, and inclusivity in the workplace.
  • Adaptable, flexible, and resilient in challenging or changing environments.
  • Collaborate with others for example, within teams, across disciplines, and external stakeholders, promoting inclusion.
  • Take responsibility for the quality of work and enable others to work to high standards. For example, proactive, decisive, self-reliant, and motivated.
  • Committed to self-development, decisive, self-reliant, and motivated.
• Apprenticeship category (sector): Engineering and manufacturing
• Qualification level: 6; Equal to degree
• Course duration: 48 months
• Funding: £27,000 ; Maximum government funding for ; apprenticeship training and assessment costs.
• Job titles include:
  • Packaging technologist
  • Packaging designer
  • Packaging development manager
  • Packaging innovation technologist
  • Packaging manufacturing lead or manager
  • Packaging operations manager
  • Packaging professional
  • Packaging project manager
  • Packaging specialist
  • Packaging technical sales
  • Senior packaging technologist

View more information about Packaging professional (integrated degree) (level 6) from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.