Packaging specialist jobs, formally known as Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, are typically assembly-line jobs. Although companies that produce or package food, medicines, tobacco products, and beverages employ some of the highest numbers of packaging specialists, the materials packed vary widely. The first step in becoming a packaging specialist is to apply for a job at any company that produces items that must be packaged. After being hired, a new employee is usually paired with a more experienced company employee who will oversee his work quality and quantity. Often, this period of on-the-job training is all that is required to become a packaging specialist.
Assembly-line packaging specialists are in charge of operating their machines, producing a minimum number of acceptable packages, and removing products that do not meet quality control guidelines. Because of the wide range of products manufactured and packaged, a packaging specialist must be skilled at filling and closing the containers that his or her company’s products are packaged in, such as burlap bags, heavy paper bags, plastic bags, cigarette cartons, or cereal boxes. Although a packaging machine or filler is usually operated a single person, the packaging specialist does not work alone and must time his work to ensure that the entire production line runs smoothly. An employee may be required to become a packaging specialist for a variety of items, depending on the company and the specific plant.
The rise of parcel shipping companies has opened up yet another path to becoming a packaging expert. Those who are sending the item are usually the only ones who pack it properly. However, some shipping companies have started to provide this service before shipping and delivering items. These positions are not assembly line jobs, but they do vary a lot depending on the needs of the customer. In order to cover as many options as possible while adhering to specific company guidelines, the training required to become a packaging specialist in these companies is usually longer and more detailed.
A high school diploma or a General Educational Development (GED) certificate is usually the minimum amount of education required to become a packaging specialist, regardless of the type of position sought. The states of California, Texas, and Pennsylvania have the most of these jobs in the United States. In this field, little job growth is expected, and the number of positions is expected to remain stable.