Mpact recently exhibited at the Future Me World of Work Expo at the Grandwest in Cape Town to give youth the opportunity to learn more about the packaging industry. Packaging professionals play a crucial role in designing, developing, and implementing innovative solutions that protect, preserve, and present products to consumers.
Packaging often hit the headlines due the misconception that packaging creates waste that causes land and sea pollution or ends up in landfill. The expo gave Mpact the opportunity to introduce youth to the dynamics of packaging and how a career in the packaging industry can change perceptions. In fact, at Mpact, package design starts with recyclability in mind.
Mpact regional human resources manager, Celia Leibbrandt, said various Mpact representatives from different divisions across the company addressed about 500 students who visited the Mpact stand. “The students were eager to find out more about the company and which career fields they needed to study to become eligible to work at Mpact. They also queried about bursaries and graduate training programmes,” said Leibbrandt.
Mpact is committed to providing youth with opportunities. “We provide close to 200 skills development and work experience opportunities annually through our apprentice and learnership programmes. Simultaneously we improve the industry-relevant skills pool. More than 90% of candidates on these programmes are from previously disadvantaged backgrounds and 23% are black women. We also provide bursaries to our employees’ children giving them an opportunity to follow their aspirations,” said Leibbrandt.
Mpact is one of the largest packaging and recycling companies in Southern Africa and employs more than 5,000 people at its 39 facilities across the country.
