ICPF Renewing (CONT’D FROM PAGE 26)
Here is where you can watch a video of the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULQoX7UthBQ In Texas, Harris Packaging and American Carton Co. have been longtime supporters of packaging education through the AICC’s Emerging Leaders Program, ICPF, and the University of Texas at Arlington. The companies’ CEO and Co-owner, Jana Harris, who is also AICC Chairwoman, said that she is very excited that ICPF and AICC are work- ing together to improve curricula that is being offered to the schools, noting that UTA already has ICPF’s curricula.
years, ICPF will focus on improving industry education at two-year colleges and trade schools, high schools and even at the middle school level. ICPF also will be working to establish relationships with local governments and apprenticeship programs. Recently,
Salaverria has been in touch with the Illinois Chapter of SkillsUSA, a part- nership of students, teachers, and industry to help support a national skilled workforce. It offers technical education and competitions that support career and technical educa- tion in the classroom.
“Everyone has challenges attract- ing the next generation worker, es- pecially right now,” Harris said. “ICPF has done a great job by partnering with colleges across the US to edu- cate them on our industry and give students the tools to learn about cor- rugated design. Our company has
Caitlin Salaverria
“They have a wonderful apprenticeship opportunity that Illinois plants in the industry will be able to take ad- vantage of,” she said. Getting Involved Many companies are heavily involved in reaching out to students in their region to tout the benefits of a packaging career. Salaverria said that in November, Wisconsin-based companies Innovative Fiber and Independence Corrugat- ed hosted a group of 15 aspiring high school engineers on tours of their facilities and sponsored a competition to design and construct a boat out of corrugated that needed to float in a swimming pool. So pleased with the outcome, the school has asked if they could make it a yearly event.
Jana Harris
hired many students from our local university, UTA, that ICPF partners with. Our investment in ICPF over the years has brought our company value.” Getting involved with the local schools is a great way for box plants to get the word out; seize any opportunity they give you to be on campus and interact with the stu- dents, Harris said. “We’ve participated in job fairs at our local STEM high school as well as having rotating interns from that school
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April 10, 2023
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