Andragogy
When asked about a typical day in membership services, Moore says, “My role is all about serving our members! AICC lives by the motto, ‘When you invest and engage, AICC will deliver success,’ and my role is to make ‘engaging’ with AICC as easy and as pain-free as possible.” To say this team is busy is an understatement, but Humphrey and Moore are always ready to help existing and future members find their passion in AICC. When asked about some of AICC’s key member benefits, Moore speaks to the wide range of resources and welcoming community that membership opens the doors to: “AICC is a resource because we offer many products and services that you can lean on in order to benefit your business (e.g., education, workforce development, industry information, exposure, and health care). AICC is a community because we bring together the industry in meaningful ways and offer you the opportunity to find your place. The ‘resource’ idea and ‘community’ idea often work together as well—seminars, webinars, summits, and advisory groups all help create the community aspect.” As far as education goes, AICC provides many opportunities for growth and learning alongside fellow members through seminars, summits, and national meetings. These events give members from different companies the chance to broaden their skills and network with other industry experts. Humphrey notes, however, that registration fees, travel costs, and time away from work for these in-person events can be barriers. “While the value of live training is exceptional, it isn’t always possible,” she says. To balance the equation, AICC gives all team members a way to increase their knowledge and skills through free online education. They partner with The Packaging School to allow member companies and all respective employees the value-add of training programs for
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BOXSCORE March/April 2022
free (in case you didn’t catch that the first time). And with more than 80 online courses in both English and Spanish, all related to the packaging industry and the manufacturing environment, there’s something for everyone. Overall, Humphrey’s simple yet resounding advice is to get involved. “There are so many resources included with membership—free white papers, BoxScore magazine, access to the AICC experts, and free online education—that can help employees at member companies thrive,” she says. “Then to really get to know others, build connections and a strong network, the in-person events and peer groups come into play. But all of this means nothing if people don’t get involved and engage.” Whether you’ve already jumped into your New Year’s resolution or you’re taking
the plunge now, AICC and its membership team are ready for you. Contact Humphrey at vhumphrey@aiccbox.org and Moore at pmoore@aiccbox.org to see how they can assist in your current or future membership with AICC. Julie Rice Suggs, Ph.D., is academic director at The Packaging School. She can be reached at 330-7748542 or julie@ packagingschool.com.
Alli Keigley, who contributed to this article, is production coordinator at The Packaging School. She can be reached at alli@ packagingschool.com.
