Michigan Occupational Information System
#019 - PACKER & WRAPPER

Packers and Wrappers package products and materials by hand or by using packing machines.  

NATURE OF THE OCCUPATION

Packers and Wrappers may:

Start the packing machine and check for malfunctions  

Operate the machine and make minor repairs  

Inspect the products, materials, and filled containers  

Restock supplies such as wrapping paper, boxes and cartons  

Clean packing containers  

Assemble cartons  

Wrap protective material around products  

Weigh containers and adjust the quantity  

Fill, seal, and label containers  

Record information such as weight, date, and time  

Feed wrapped packages to conveyors for additional packaging, storage, or shipment  

Obtain, sort, and place the product to be wrapped on the conveyors  

The tools and equipment used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

Packers and Wrappers may specialize in these areas:

920.685-078 MACHINE PACKAGERS operate packing machines that clean, fill, mark, label, sort, tie, weigh, inspect, pack, wrap, or close containers.  

920.587-018 HAND PACKAGERS package products and materials by hand.  

920.587-018 WRAPPERS package products and materials by hand.  

920.684-010 CRATERS build wooden crates or boxes and pack machinery, vehicles, or other large, odd-shaped products in them.  

920.685-074 MACHINE PACKAGE SEALERS tend machines that seal filled cardboard boxes, cartons, paper, cellophane, or plastic bags.  

920.685-110 BUNDLE TIER AND LABELERS tend bundling machines that tie and label stacks of lumber.  

920.687-134 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE PACKERS pack vegetables, fruits, nuts, eggs, bulbs, and other agricultural produce for storage or shipment. Examples of these specialties include apple packer, pear packer, fruit packer, egg packer, plant packer, and tree wrapper.  

920.685-078 MACHINE MEAT WRAPPERS tend machines that wrap, seal, label, weigh, and mark the price on meat, fish, and poultry.  

920.587-018 HAND MEAT WRAPPERS package, weigh, label, and price meat, fish, and poultry, usually in a retail store.  

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:  

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Packers and Wrappers usually work around other workers and are under the direction of a supervisor. They work indoors and may have to stand for long periods of time. Meat wrappers may be exposed to temperature extremes when going into and out of refrigerated areas. Packers and Wrappers may work in noisy areas, and they may be exposed also to other factory hazards. However, safety precautions and appropriate clothing offset these hazards.  

Packers and Wrappers usually work a 5-day, 40-hour week. Depending on the employer and the industry, they may be required to work day, evening, or night shifts. Overtime and weekend work may be necessary depending on production schedules.  

Meat wrappers may have to furnish their own uniforms and other work apparel. Many Packers and Wrappers belong to unions. The particular union depends on the industry. Packers and Wrappers who belong to unions must pay dues.  

You Should Prefer:

• Working with your hands  

• Working with machines and equipment  

• Doing routine, definite, organized work  

You Should Be Able To:

• Work within set standards and specifications  

• Work well with your hands and fingers  

• Perform the same task over and over  

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

If you have a yard of wrapping paper and you are wrapping a package that is 1' by 2', how much paper should you cut off the yard?  

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

Work orders and wrapping specifications.  

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

Prepare an invoice for a wrapping job.  

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

Analytical skills and be detail oriented in assessing packages to be wrapped and following work orders.  

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: On-The-Job Training provided by the employer or a High School Diploma or Equivalent may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:  

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 2200 MATH , 3300 TECHNOLOGY

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this MOIScript  

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

There are no Postsecondary Programs related to this MOIScript

Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript  

***MILITARY TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES***

Please check Military website at http://www.myfuture.com .

CARGO SPECIALISTS

The military delivers supplies, weapons, equipment, and mail to United States forces in many parts of the world. Military cargo travels by ship, truck, or airplane. It must be handled carefully to ensure safe arrival at the correct destination. Cargo specialists load and unload military supplies and material using equipment such as forklifts and cranes. They also plan and organize loading schedules.  

What They Do

Cargo specialists in the military perform some or all of the following duties:  

• Load supplies into trucks, transport planes, and railroad cars using forklifts  

• Load equipment such as jeeps, trucks, and weapons aboard ships, using dockyard cranes  

• Pack and crate boxes of supplies for shipping  

• Inspect cargo for damage  

• Plan and inspect loads for balance and safety  

• Check cargo against invoices to make sure the amount and destination of material are correct  

Physical Demands

Cargo specialists must lift and carry heavy cargo.  

Training Provided

Job training consists of 2 to 6 weeks of classroom instruction, including practice in loading cargo. Course content typically includes:  

• Operation and care of forklifts, power winches, and cranes  

• Techniques for loading and storing cargo  

• Techniques for planning and scheduling cargo shipments  

• Safety procedures for handling potentially dangerous cargo  

Further training occurs on the job

Helpful Attributes

Helpful school subjects include general office and business mathematics. Helpful attributes include:  

• Interest in working with forklifts and cranes  

• Preference for physical work  

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian cargo specialists work for trucking firms, air cargo companies, and shipping lines. They perform duties similar to military cargo specialists. Depending on specialty, they may also be called industrial truck operators, stevedores, long-shore men, material handlers, or cargo checkers.  

Work Environment

Cargo specialists work outdoors on loading docks and indoors in warehouses.  

Opportunities

The services have about 2,500 cargo specialists. On average, they need about 300 new cargo specialists each year. After job training, cargo specialists work in teams preparing and loading cargo for shipment under the direction of supervisors. In time, they may advance to become team leaders or supervisors of other cargo specialists. Eventually, they may become warehouse managers.  

E-Learning Courses and Programs

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Summer or part-time work may be available with manufacturing, retail, or wholesale firms. Experience is available in military service.  

School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships  

mentorships  

job shadowing experiences  

touring a local Packer & Wrapper employer  

internships  

volunteer work with a Packer & Wrapper employer  

community service work with an agency  

The most common method of entering this occupation is by direct application to employers. Assistance in finding a job may be available through school placement offices, newspaper want ads, and local offices of Michigan Works!. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:  

Michigan Talent Bank ( http://www.michworks.org/mtb/user/MTB_EMPL.EntryMainPage )  

America's Job Bank ( http://www.ajb.dni.us )  

Classifieds Employment ( http://www.classifieds2000.com )  

 Yahoo! Careers ( http://careers.yahoo.com/ )  

MONSTER.COM ( http://www.monster.com )  

Michigan Department of Career Development ( http://www.michigan.gov/mdcd/ )  

Michigan Works! ( http://www.michiganworks.org/ )  

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Earnings of Packers and Wrappers depend on the type of industry, extent of unionization, geographic location, and the particular firm. Nationally, median weekly earnings for Packaging Machine Operators were $380 in 2001. Most earned between $210 and $1,000 per week. Median weekly earnings for hand packers and packagers were $326. Weekly earnings generally ranged from $210 to $750 per week. Production workers in meat packing plants earned an average hourly wage of $11.38 in late 2001.  The median weekly earnings of  "all" workers in the U.S. were $597 in 2001.  

Within the auto industry, most Packers earned between $16.20 and $23.24 per hour (early 2002). Automobile industry workers also receive a cost-of-living allowance.  

In Michigan, Meat wrappers covered under one large union contract earned between $7.75 and $15.20 an hour (early 2002). In addition, these Meat wrappers also received periodic lump sum payments instead of hourly wage increases.  

Estimated hourly earnings of Packers and Wrappers in some areas of Michigan in 2001 were:  

Packers and Wrappers are usually paid extra for working evening and night shifts.  

Fringe benefits of non unionized Packers and Wrappers depend on their employer. Unionized workers may receive such benefits as life, accident, disability, and hospitalization insurance plus pension plans. In some cases, employers and employees may contribute jointly to a union-sponsored fund that is used to pay certain benefits such as vacation and holiday pay. Packers and Wrappers working for automotive firms also have dental and vision care plans.  

Packers and Wrappers usually start out as helpers. They normally learn their jobs in a few days, depending on the type of product packed or wrapped. With additional training and/or experience, Packers and Wrappers may advance to Machine Packer. Promotion to supervisor depends on work experience, performance, and supervisory skills.  

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

Nationally, 1,086,000 Packers and Wrappers were employed in 2000. Employment is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2010. The industry distribution for Packers and Wrappers looked like this:  

New, highly automated packing and wrapping machines will limit long-term growth in employment as increased productivity causes fewer workers to be hired or replaced. However, the rapid expansion in manufacturing industries that employ Packagers and Wrappers has created recent employment growth. There will also be additional job opportunities for Packagers and Wrappers at firms using e-commerce (Internet purchasing) both on retail and wholesale levels.  

There are about 46,875 Packers and Wrappers working in Michigan. They generally worked for service firms or manufacturing industries.  

 Employment of Packers and Wrappers in Michigan is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2008. An average of 2,900 annual openings is expected, with 1,740 due to growth and 1,160 due to replacement of those who retire or leave the labor force for other reasons. Additional openings will occur as workers transfer to other jobs or occupations.  

A strong economy increases the demand for products that are packaged or wrapped; however, automation and plastic packaging techniques will increase worker output and may result in fewer job openings for Packers and Wrappers. Hand Packers in Michigan will experience the greatest number of employment opportunities due to the diversity of products manufactured in the state which cannot be machine packaged. These products include furniture, individual machined parts, agricultural items, and electronic components.  

 MICHIGAN'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2008    

  EMPLOYMENT                  NUMBER        PERCENT    PROJECTED YEARLY  

  REGION                              EMPLOYED   GROWTH     JOB OPENINGS  

  Ann Arbor Area                    2,220               43.3               151  

  Battle Creek Area                 1,025               33.0                59  

  Benton Harbor Area             1,815                26.7                93  

  Central Michigan                   455                    8.3                15  

  Detroit MSA                        22,090               40.4               1439  

  East Central Michigan           315                    16.1               13  

  Flint Area                             1,700                 25.6               86  

  Grand Rapids Area               6,690                33.0               386  

  Jackson Area                       1,200                 28.9               65  

  Kalamazoo Area                  1,520                 36.7               94  

  Lansing MSA                       1,195                 13.9               47  

  Muskegon Area                    785                   14.1               30  

  Northeast Lower Peninsula   320                   10.7                11  

  Northwest Lower Peninsula  780                   21.3                36  

  Saginaw MSA                     1,360                 33.8               80  

  Thumb Area                        635                    18.3               28  

  Upper Peninsula                  640                      8.3               21  

  West Central Michigan        445                      9.8               15      

MSA designates a Metropolitan Statistical Area      

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Printed occupational information is available upon written request from sources below:  

SUMMARY PROFILE

The occupation of Packer and Wrapper can be summarized by the following:

Copyright © 2003 Michigan Department of Career Development