For several years now, there’s been a lot of talk about the proverbial and perhaps hyperbolic “workforce crisis” in the label and package printing industry. With longtime press operators and other personnel integral to the workflow and supply chains reaching retirement, coupled with the perception that “manufacturing jobs” are unappealing to young people today, there are question marks about who will be leading the way going forward. 

Thankfully, answers to these questions are emerging. In the United States, the next generation of package printing and flexographic professionals is already taking shape – and it looks promising. Across the country, schools, training programs, and forward-thinking converters are introducing young people to the technologies, craftsmanship, and career opportunities that drive the label and packaging industry. From high school technical programs and college print and graphic arts labs to hands-on apprenticeships on production floors, a new wave of students are learning the skills that once took years to acquire. They’re exploring everything from color management and platemaking to prepress  workflow and both digital and conventional press operation, while also gaining a deeper appreciation for packaging’s role in brand identity and sustainability. For an industry eager to attract fresh talent and new ideas, this growing interest among today’s youth is an encouraging sign of a vibrant, innovative future.

Industry associations, such as TLMI, FTA, and FPA (Flexible Packaging Association), have been proactive. TLMI’s Label Leaders of Tomorrow (LLT) is growing in popularity. LLT is a group of emerging leaders within the association that is committed to expanding their knowledge and skills in the label industry. The group is open to all TLMI members, from those just starting off in the industry ready to jump start their career to those who are taking on a new role and eager to learn more. 

While LLT caters to those who have already entered the industry, the challenge remains getting young people interested to begin with. To this end, TLMI has an academic and vocational scholarship program that fosters development of both skilled pressroom and engineering labor as well as marketing and sales.

Starting with Awareness

Today’s youth won’t enter the industry if they don’t even know about it. In our current digital world, labels and packaging are likely an afterthought – not even on the radar of kids in elementary, middle, and high school. Simply put, awareness is a crucial starting point. 

The Phoenix Challenge Foundation’s mission is all about awarenes. It is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the recruitment and development of the future workforce for flexography. Each year, flexo students and teachers from throughout the US and Canada are invited to the Phoenix Challenge competitions. The High School event is a two-and-a-half-day skill-based competition with hands-on and comprehension testing in operating a flexo press, prepress, platemaking, and overall flexo knowledge. Winners are eligible for scholarships. To date, tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships have been awarded to encourage students to pursue further education and a career in flexography. 

The Phoenix Challenge Foundation made headlines recently with the announcement that “Flexographic Printing” has officially been added to the Scouts of America’s Graphic Arts Merit Badge requirements – a milestone that will introduce thousands of youth to the essential printing technology that is flexography.

Flexographic printing – the prominent process used for packaging, labels, medical and countless everyday products – is a vital part of the global consumer products supply chain. By incorporating this process into the merit badge curriculum, Scouts across the nation will gain hands-on experience and exposure to career paths that blend creativity, evolving technology, and precision manufacturing.

 “This is a proud moment for the Phoenix Challenge Foundation and the entire flexographic community,” comments Bettylyn Krafft, executive director of the Phoenix Challenge Foundation. “Scouts will now have the chance to see first-hand how flexography touches their daily lives – from chips and snack bags to labels on their condiment and vitamin bottles. What better way to learn valuable skills that can lead to rewarding careers.”

The Graphic Arts Merit Badge has long covered traditional processes such as offset, screen, and lithographic printing. Adding flexography modernizes the program, ensuring it reflects industry advancements and prepares youth for future opportunities.

With the Phoenix Challenge Foundation’s 28-year history of working with high schools and universities, in collaboration with industry partners and the Scouts of America, scouts and badge counselors now have instructional materials and resources that will bring flexography to life in an engaging and accessible way. 

Competition spurs creativity

The Phoenix Challenge isn’t the only organization using the spirit of competition to engage young people. The Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), the advocate and voice for the growing US flexible packaging industry, holds an annual Achievement Awards competition – the Flexible Packaging Design Challenge – that recognizes innovative, student-designed flexible packaging. FPA believes it is important to encourage and recognize students who are working to become the next generation of packaging engineers and designers.

FPA has announced the 2025 Student Flexible Packaging Design Challenge winners. Winning first-place this year is a team of students from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and the second-place winner is a team of students from California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly). There were also two honorable mentions awarded for the 2025 competition.

The first-place winning entry is the EZ PB&J Pouch concept from the RIT team of Travis Daly, Jacob Marrer, Olivia Morris, Austin Pralow, and Amanda Szymanoski.The students were under the direction of Kyle Dunno, RIT department chair and associate professor. The concept is a single-use flexible package featuring separate compartments for peanut butter and jelly. Designed for school lunches, the pouch simplifies the sandwich-making process for busy parents. Instead of preparing sandwiches in the morning, parents could now send two slices of bread and a pouch in their child’s lunchbox.

The pouch’s bread-shaped silhouette is not only playful and kid-friendly, but also functionally designed. The ergonomic tear notch allows children – or adults with dexterity challenges – to open the package easily, without the need for spreading utensils. The eye-catching, colorful graphics further enhance its shelf appeal. This innovative concept also won the award for “Best Video,” which will be featured across FPA’s digital platforms to celebrate the team’s creativity and communication skills.

Dunno states, “The FPA Student Design Competition gives our students a unique opportunity to engage with industry-relevant problems and showcase their innovative thinking. It is rewarding to see their hard work recognized on a national stage. This competition continues to be a powerful catalyst for student growth. It pushes them to think critically about packaging design, sustainability, and real-world functionality. These are skills that are essential for their future careers.”

The Pancake Pack, a packaging concept for pre-portioned pancake mix, has emerged as the second-place winner. Matteo Mazziliano, Emma Powers, Henry Wright, and Kyle Zheng from Cal Poly developed the concept under the direction of Joongmin Shin, associate professor. Designed for simplicity and convenience, the package eliminates the need for measuring cups and mixing bowls, thus making it ideal for quick breakfasts at home or on the go. The team selected ionomer film, a material known for its strength, clarity, and barrier properties, to ensure freshness while minimizing environmental impact. With its intuitive design and waste-reducing features, the Pancake Pack shows how packaging innovation can enhance everyday experiences while at the same time supporting sustainable practices.

Two additional entries have received Honorable Mentions for their outstanding concepts. The first Honorable Mention goes to a team of students from RIT that consisted of Maddy Cook, Sam Rosa, and Cole Teeple, under the direction of Dunno, for their Bounce Dryer Sheets Resealable Pouch concept. The second honorable mention is awarded to a team of students from Cal Poly. The team consisted of Devin Blish, Edison Chow, Paulina Goncharov, and Maya Harris, under the direction of Shin, for their GoGlow: Single Serving Skincare concept.

“Our team is grateful to be recognized with an Honorable Mention in this year’s Student Design Challenge,” states Goncharov. “It was a wonderful experience working with Professor Shin, and we greatly appreciate his guidance throughout the project. The challenge gave our team the opportunity to explore a series of brainstorms, redesigns, and experiments as we developed a solution for skincare on-the-go. This experience reinforced the importance of teamwork, staying open-minded, and continuously seeking improvement. For us as students, the challenge highlighted just how many creative opportunities exist within the packaging industry.”

Shin notes, “I’m thrilled to see our students earn second place and an honorable mention in the FPA Student Packaging Design Challenge. Their innovative solutions reflect both creativity and practical thinking. This national recognition is a proud achievement for our students and program, and the FPA competition continues to be an inspiring platform for developing the next generation of packaging professionals.”

“I’m incredibly proud of our students,” adds Dunno. “Their success in this competition reflects not only their creativity and technical skill but also their ability to collaborate and solve complex challenges under pressure.”

For the 2025 competition, FPA received 56 concept outlines from some of the top packaging design programs across the United States. From the concept outlines submitted, 16 were selected to continue to the development phase.

Steve Katz is the former editor of Label & Narrow Web and is now a regular contributor. He is focused on helping companies in the label industry share their news and tell their stories. Follow him on X @LabelSteve.