Packaging engineer’s outlook: The importance of a mentor

As in most professions, we all need advice and guidance in our careers. Packaging engineering is no different. Through the years, I’ve been fortunate to meet people who, through their wealth of experience in different areas were able to provide useful advice. What started as mentoring relationships, developed into mutual respect, trust and friendship.

These are important relationships for junior or seasoned packaging professionals alike. Remember that a mentor is not there to “hook you up” with jobs, contacts or favors. If that is your motivation, you will be disappointed. A good mentor acts as a sounding board, providing advice and asking questions that enable protégés to see issues from a new perspective.

It’s not easy to find the right mentor or person to mentor, but with sincerity and initiative, it is definitely possible. When looking for a mentor, be genuine and honest. The most senior packaging person you know may not necessarily be the best mentor for you.

 Look for someone who has a diversity of experience, someone who shares similar interests and can make a time commitment. Start with the circle of people you know, utilizing colleagues, industry organizations such as IOPP and or industry events. Once you find a potential mentor, go slow. Don’t rush the a relationship, as trust is not built overnight. This relationship is a two-way street, so offer the mentor your assistance, too. After a while you’ll know if it’s a good fit.

Being a mentor is truly rewarding and fulfilling, both professionally and personally. As we gain experience and seniority, it’s our responsibility to give back. What better way than to guide the next generation of packaging professionals? It’s sometimes quite challenging to find the right person to mentor. Be open-minded and flexible especially as you consider that even a person quite different from you in age, priorities and skill may greatly benefit from your experience and advice.

I’ve yet to meet a senior packaging executive who doesn’t recollect a mentor with gratitude or a protégé with pride. I attribute a large part of my success to mentors who have helped me along the way. I strongly encourage you to be a mentor, too.

Profiles in packaging
Jane Chase, senior director of packaging innovation and R&D at Schwann Foods
Past positions: vp, packaging R&D, U.S. Foodservice; director of packaging engineering and process development, ConAgra Foods; director,  package engineering, Ecolab; past president and chair of IoPP
Education: MS in Engineering Management, Milwaukee School of Engineering; BS in Mechanical Engineering, Marquette University.

To what do you attribute your success?
Continually learning and staying up to date on a broad spectrum of technical developments. Access to the latest technologies allows you to set a strategic direction for your team that will grow your business. Clearly understanding the cross-functional impact that the packaging team has on the organization reminds them to focus on adding value at all points in the supply chain to every package they develop. Most importantly, building strong teams by developing, growing and empowering the people who work with me.

Perspective on being a mentor: Mentoring is a key asset in building a career.  It’s valuable to establish both formal and informal relationships that can enhance a packaging professional’s contributions. As a mentor, it is very gratifying and rewarding to see your protégé become successful.

Advice on moving up: Understand how you define success beyond title and salary. As you develop a base of knowledge across functional areas such as quality, operations and processing, you become more valuable and prepare yourself for management. Don’t be afraid to take a risk and always keep your technical packaging skills current, as packaging will always be a technical function.

Prateek Lal is managing director of Adept Packaging, a firm of consulting packaging engineers. Contact him at: [email protected].

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