Nestlé and the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) have cemented their relationship with a commitment of enrolments of 9 students in the new Certificate in Packaging and another 4 students in the Diploma in Packaging Technology.
This represents a significant expansion of Nestlé’s packaging training activities in the Oceania region.
As part of a customised solution, the AIP will deliver these courses in a hybrid format with some direct face-to-face content between student groups and tutors in an effort to increase learning rates and student outcomes.
According to Craig Wellman, MAIP, Vice President of the AIP, this hybrid was viable because of the holistic approach taken by Nestlé towards training.
“It will deliver Nestlé a unique forum for up-skilling its team while building camaraderie in its diverse packaging group which was a key objective for this program,” Craig Wellman said.
Nestlé has expanded its packaging resources to include 24 packaging engineers and technicians spread throughout its head office and plants in the region. The AIP training program for over half this team represents a significant investment for the business.
Paul Haberland FAIP, head of packaging at Nestlé and a campaigner for packaging training for many years, added that Nestlé has taken this step in recognition of the projected volume of packaging innovation projects and packaging’s significance to the business – both as an investment in the Company’s brands and a key cost input.
“Nestlé intends to deliver a long term resource of highly skilled packaging specialists by building on their existing education & experience,” Paul Haberland said.
“We are excited with the AIP’s offering and hold this program in high esteem,” Paul Haberland, FAIP said.
The AIP is the pre-eminent body delivering packaging training in Australia with its Diploma and Certificate programs based on those created by the UK Institute of Packaging. These courses are equivalent to those now being embraced by the European Union and are accredited by the Packaging Industry Awarding Body Company in the UK (PIABC).
As such, packaging professionals holding Diplomas or Certificates gained via the AIP will have qualifications which are internationally recognised and able to be leveraged in employment opportunities in other regions, particularly Europe.
“The portability of these qualifications and application in Europe is valuable to Nestlé, given the breadth of our international operations,” Paul Haberland said.
“Our staff are frequently presented with opportunities to work with Nestlé in other parts of the world,”
The Nestlé program officially launches the Certificate in Packaging Course which has been by the IoP years to suit Australian delivery requirements. Originally delivered in a 4 day residential format for the major unit and 4 electives via on-line/open learning, the course has been re-written to enable a full distance/open learning approach more suited to the Australian environment where students spread widely across the country.
Emeritus Professor Harry Lovell OAM FAIP, a proponent of the new course said that the Certificate course opens up a new window for packaging training in Australia enabling students to complete a shorter, less intensive program than the Diploma but with credits provided toward the Diploma for successful students.
“The concise Certificate program is also proving popular with companies wishing to provide corporate wide training in packaging as we are seeing with the Nestlé project,” Professor Lovell OAM said.
“Traditionally, most enrolments have been made by individual students and while this is expected to continue, where a company commits to staff training both financially and operationally as we are seeing with Nestlé, student and employer outcomes are enhanced,” he said.
“It is clear that in such cases, employers take a very serious interest in staff development which results in students approaching their studies with ambition given the strong link to career progression.”
Professor Lovell also pointed out that students who are to able to move around the business and onto the production lines had a real advantage and this seemed to occur where employers were actively supportive in the training process.
“Skill shortages are being felt by all businesses at the moment and talent retention is a strategic imperative. In this environment, training is a key attraction for staff in planning a future with a company and those companies with vision will gain from developing resources from within to underpin current and future demands. It is a win-win for both parties.” Wellman said.
“Education has been the corner stone of the AIP since its inception in 1963 and we are very pleased with the progression of the Diploma and Certificate courses including their international recognition.
"In particular, we think the new Certificate will be attractive to members of the Institute who have wanted to formalise their standing via qualification. Overall, the AIP is ideally placed to assist the industry – both corporate and individuals – with their education and training requirements.” he said.