Packaging engineering students across the USA will benefit from the latest technology in their studies after the latest multi-million-dollar in-kind donation from Esko underlined its continued commitment to supporting future generations of packaging industry workers.

The raft of new software upgrades and education partner license renewals will ensure that college and university students across the U.S benefit from the latest, state-of-the-art solutions from Esko, giving them first-hand experience of the technology that they will be using in the ‘real world’ after completing their studies.

Melissa Plemen, Esko Sr. Director of Inside Sales and Marketing, said the company was thrilled to continue supporting the education of the next generation of packaging employees with the donation. “As a company we invest heavily in developing new technology to streamline and simplify the packaging design and production process,” said Melissa. “We believe it is just as important to also invest in those who represent the future of our industry. We have supported schools across the country in this way for a number of years now and we are delighted to again continue that support with this latest significant donation in kind.”

Esko, the global developer of integrated software and hardware solutions for the packaging and label sectors, announced this latest investment ahead of the commencement of the new school year. Among the more-than-30 schools utilizing Esko software are Appalachian State University, Clemson University, Cal Polytech State, Dunwoody College of Technology, Eastern Washington University, Illinois State, Indiana State University, Michigan State University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Ryerson University, University of Wisconsin – Stout, and Virginia Tech.

“We’re thrilled to be extending our relationship with some of the most prestigious schools training in this hugely important field,” added Melissa. “As technological advances lead to changes within the sector, we believe it’s vitally important that the industry supports the education and training of young people as we drive to develop and inspire the packaging experts of the future.

“The last 12 months alone has seen huge leaps in technology, with cloud-based solutions and Software as a Service deployment revolutionizing how many prepress departments operate,” said Melissa. “Similarly, new versions of tools such as the latest Automation Engine are supercharging Variable Date Printing possibilities, making possible concepts that had previously been simply unimaginable. Our commitment ensures today’s students are familiar with all these latest Esko solutions that are utilized around the world to manage packaging and print processes, enabling them to be truly ready for work and have the skills required to enter the sector,” she said.

With the latest donation, packaging course tutors can now use the same software that develops 9 out of 10 retail packs for major brands today and the breadth of software available enables them to teach a wide range of skillsets. Students will be able to design and create packaging from ideation through to virtual and physical prototypes, preparing them for future roles in what is a diverse and fast-paced industry.

“Throughout the last 18 months, we have seen how the global pandemic has underlined the important role technology already plays in keeping the packaging supply chain moving,” said Melissa. “As the future of the industry will inevitably involve further digitization, automation and connectivity, it is crucial that the workforce of tomorrow is as skilled and knowledgeable as possible before they embark on their career.

“We see this donation as part of our contribution to ensuring that vision becomes a reality, investing in not just the future of these young students, but also of our industry as a whole.”

To find out more about Esko technology solutions, please visit www.esko.com.