ANDRAGOGY

Who’s Ready for Summer School?

BY JULIE RICE-SUGGS, PH.D., AND ALLI KEIGLEY

Without a doubt, many of us are ready to celebrate the warmth and fun of summer days fi lled with long evenings, the sun shining hot, and exciting plans to fi ll up your weekends. And even if summer doesn’t mean three months of vacation—because, you know, we’re adults now—we can still have fun creating a summer bucket list full of ideas for new adventures. If you haven’t already put together your summer of 2022 bucket list, here are some ideas to get you started: hike in a place you’ve never been (followed by a lovely picnic on-site), get some friends and head to the pool, take a road trip, watch a live sporting event, and so on. Oh, and one more thing—take some online classes. I think I hear crickets on that one. But hear us out.

Now, we understand that your immediate response to the thought of having continued education on a summer bucket list is likely one of disdain or disbelief. Maybe that’s because you are thinking back to the summer school days of your youth—and, yes, yuck! However, we’re defi nitely not talking about anything that requires you to be cooped up in a classroom all day, learning from a blackboard while sitting at an uncomfortable desk.

While you most likely know that’s not what we’re talking about, you may not be familiar with what we are suggesting. For starters, you don’t need the heavy books, binders, and backpack full of notebooks and pencils that harken back to your middle school days. Th e only thing you need is access to a computer and at least 3 Mbps of internet—easy, right? AICC’s partnership with Th e Packaging School allows for member companies and all respective employees the value-add of online training programs for free. And with more than 80 online courses in both English and Spanish, all related to the packaging industry and the manufacturing environment, you’re sure to fi nd something that suits your current needs. Just grab your computer, and we’ll get you squared away.

Not only have we removed the need for bulky school supplies, but we’ve also made the method of instruction one that caters to adult learning styles. How? We use a technique called microlearning. If you aren’t familiar with the term, it just means we take diffi cult topics, break them up, and then arrange them into bite-sized lessons you can engage with on any device. We use infographics, quick readings, videos, animations, discussions, and interactive slides as the vehicles to deliver information. Th is unique method empowers you to learn and complete courses on your schedule, at your own pace, anywhere you might be.

New Adventures

To add to the extensive existing course catalog, we have some new opportunities for you to dive into this summer.

Th e fi rst new course available to you is called Innovations and Machinery Advancements in the Corrugated Industry. Th is course is part of AICC’s Education Investor Program, which allows member companies to be thought leaders in the industry through premier online education with Th e Packaging School. Working with subject matter experts Katie Graham and Rob McCann from BOBST, we take you on a journey to help you better understand the current state of the corrugated industry as well as where it’s headed. New trends, demands, and the ever-changing state of the world are causing the industry to make signifi cant strides in machinery advancements. Th ese advancements aim to mitigate current pain points in the industry and streamline your packaging line.

Th is course begins with an engaging infographic overview of the corrugated market–you can even download it! Th en we jump into some key packaging trends that help brands and converters alike compete effi ciently, such as economic growth, consumer trends, brand owner

trends, sustainability, e-commerce, digital advancements, and packaging automation.

The next module focuses on industry pains and the innovative solutions and technology that can offer some relief. Topics include workforce challenges, consistency, precision, and inline production—you also hear about real-life examples on the packaging lines and how current issues are being dealt with. Lastly, the course explores two BOBST industry solutions—an automatic packer and a flexo printing and rotary die cutting (DRO) innovation.

Another course adventure to add to your bucket list is the Machine Primer resource. Working with subject matter expert Scott Ellis, Ed.D., of Working Well and numerous education investors, we created an interactive experience for you to learn from. This resource will introduce you to a wide variety of equipment utilized in today’s packaging industry in a format that allows you to follow your own adventure, so to speak, and select equipment that interests you. The machines used as examples represent various generations of technology. For example, a flexo folder gluer may be a fully functional, two-color, gear-driven machine built in the 1970s, or it might be a 10-color, servo-driven, fixed-architecture machine built last year. The core functionality of printing, cutting, gluing, and folding is the same no matter the machine. Each machine comes complete with a definition, video, and diagram that help the learner understand the basics of how the machine works. More examples will be added for each machine type as they become available, so stay tuned for updates.

Hopefully, you’re seeing that these courses are nothing like your old summer school experiences. Our courses are engaging, informative, and relevant to wherever you are in the packaging industry. Bonus: You can take them while you’re on your epic summer escapade— it’ll be like an adventure on top of an adventure! We’ll see you there! 

Julie Rice Suggs, Ph.D., is academic director at The Packaging School. She can be reached at 330-774-8542 or julie@ packagingschool.com.

Alli Keigley is production coordinator at The Packaging School. She can be reached at alli@ packagingschool.com.

Replacing Yourself

BY SCOTT ELLIS, ED.D.

RELATED AICC RESOURCES

AICC members can access the resources mentioned in this article, as well as all of AICC’s other valuable resources, at www.aiccbox.o rg/packagingschool.

It does not matter if you just got hired to run the bailer or you are fi nalizing your succession plan in the corner offi ce. Leaders replace themselves. Th ey are not concerned with hoarding information to ensure security. Th ey know the judgment that comes with experience will bring opportunity.

During your fi rst week on the bailer, you learn all you can to understand the job, the equipment, and your customers. As you gain experience, you look for ways to simplify and improve the process. Th en you fi nd ways to better serve your customers, such as setting aside sheets of set sizes that can serve as dunnage for various machines. Finally, you save the knowledge in notes or other documentation so that you are ready when you can train someone else and move on to your next challenge. So, in short: 1. Study the job, the equipment, and the customers. 2. Improve the process and better serve customers. 3. Codify the new process. 4. Be ready to train your replacement.

To ease your way in orienting and equipping your team members, I have worked with AICC to provide a growing cache of resources.

Training Tracker

We built an Excel-based tool for members that do not have their own learning management system but still want to invest and track education. Th is can be used for career-pathing an individual or ensuring compliance across multiple departments. It is useful for tracking completion of the 100-plus courses in AICC’s online catalog, including industry-specifi c topics.

Packaging Math Quiz

Provided by Liberty Container and modifi ed for availability online, this math quiz assesses entry-level skills. When a refresher is in order, the online course Packaging Production Math addresses common math skills used in production.

Carton Style Catalog

In the near future, a Carton Style Catalog will be added to this list. It will include descriptions and 3D renderings of the carton styles commonly used across paper-based box manufacturing.

In February, the Machine Primer launched with the help of many OEMs and contributing boxmakers. Th is resource provides exposure to a wide variety of equipment types. Even those with industry experience will fi nd value in the interactive plant fl oor map, including everything from papermaking to converting with three print methods. Th is fi ctional facility provides a description, a diagram, and a video of the machine making product.

Th ese resources will make your job of self-replacement easier. Combined with the encouragement of knowing someone is investing in their career, team members will gain competence more quickly and stay engaged as they gain experience. Self-replacement is essential for creating an engaged and capable workforce in which team members act like they own the place. 

Image courtesy of AICC.

Scott Ellis, Ed.D.,

delivers training, coaching, and resources that develop the ability to eliminate obstacles and sustain more eff ective and profi table results. He recently published Dammit: Learning Judgment Th rough Experience. His books and process improvement resources are available at workingwell.bz. AICC members enjoy a 20% discount with code AICC21.