PMMI Engages Future Packaging Professionals at the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference
Sep 7, 2023
Students learned how crucial packaging is to consumers’ everyday experiences.
PMMI had a strong presence at the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference, June 20–23, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. This prestigious event brought together nearly 14,500 attendees, including students, parents, and educators, all gathered to recognize excellence in career and technical education and celebrate the achievements of those preparing for a career in trade, technical, and skilled service occupations.
During the conference, PMMI hosted a packaging pavilion featuring six of its member companies. Linmot USA; Wipotec; B&R Automation; Benchmark Automation, a ProMach product brand; Printpack; and Felins came together to showcase their advanced technologies, featuring an impressive array of cutting-edge machines and a variety of different types of packaging. This collaborative effort aimed to engage and inspire the future workforce provided a glimpse into the vast opportunities and exciting possibilities within the packaging industry.
One of the highlights of the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference is the SkillsUSA TECHSPO Trade Show which serves as a platform for over 200 exhibitors to showcase the latest technology and its application by our future workforce, teachers, and experts. These exhibits are strategically placed alongside national career competitions and leadership sessions that are shaping and celebrating the nation’s career-ready students. With interactive experiences spread across three exhibition floors, industry connections are forged to enhance classrooms and develop the country’s talent pipeline.
Kate Fioranti, director of workforce development at PMMI, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “We were thrilled to have the opportunity to promote PMMI and the packaging industry at the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference. It was truly inspiring to engage with such exceptionally talented and professional students during the event.”
Peter Zafiro, general manager of Linmot USA, echoed this sentiment, “The SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference was a fantastic opportunity to engage with a new generation of professionals, including educators and students learning about the many benefits of packaging automation. We were able to discuss our future engineering internships with over a dozen qualified candidates. The event exceeded our expectations, and we are looking forward to attending again.”
The event provided an invaluable opportunity for PMMI and its member companies to connect with students, parents, and educators from across the country to foster a dialogue about potential career paths and internships in the packaging and processing industry.
The SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference underscores the importance of technical education and vocational skills in today’s rapidly evolving workforce. PMMI’s presence at the conference exemplified the association’s commitment to empowering the next generation of packaging professionals and bridging the gap between industry and education.
For more information about the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference, visit nlsc.skillsusa.org. To learn more about PMMI’s commitment to inspiring, engaging, and developing the existing workforce and talent pipeline within the packaging and processing industry, please visit pmmi.org/workforce.
