How To Become A Packaging Associate: What It Is and Career Path

What is a packaging associate and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A packaging associate is an individual responsible for packaging products or items for shipment. They work in a variety of industries, from food to electronics, and use various materials to package products such as boxes, bags, and containers. A packaging associate ensures that the packaging is secure, meets quality standards, and is labeled correctly. Attention to detail and the ability to work efficiently are important qualities for a successful packaging associate.

ScorePackaging AssociateUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $31,519

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.4

Growth rate -3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.22%

Asian 7.88%

Black or African American 11.87%

Hispanic or Latino 15.21%

Unknown 3.42%

White 60.39%

Gender

female 42.07%

male 57.93%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress level

4.4

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.6

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.8

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a packaging associate?

Pros

Opportunity to gain experience in the food production industry
Possible career advancement within the company
Regular work schedule with predictable hours
Possibility of overtime pay
Physical activity can lead to health benefits

Cons

Repetitive and monotonous tasks
Physically demanding work that can be tiring and cause strain or injury
Exposure to loud machinery and constant noise
Work may be fast-paced and require meeting strict deadlines
Pay may be lower than other industries or occupations

Key steps to become a packaging associate

Explore packaging associate education requirements

Most common packaging associate degrees

High School Diploma

33.8 %

Bachelor's

28.8 %

Associate

19.9 %

Start to develop specific packaging associate skills

Skills	Percentages
Pallets	8.24%
Defective Products	7.26%
Basic Math	6.39%
Safety Standards	5.84%
Quality Issues	5.37%

Complete relevant packaging associate training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New packaging associates learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a packaging associate based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real packaging associate resumes.

Research packaging associate duties and responsibilities

Manage the receipt and tracking of control substances as well as the DEA biennial inspection.
Assemble sterile syringes for shipping.
Collect required samples for QA testing.
Pack customers' groceries in a neat and orderly fashion.

Prepare your packaging associate resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your packaging associate resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a packaging associate resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable packaging associate resume templates

Build a professional packaging associate resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your packaging associate resume.