History Major to Packaging Professional?
You might think that becoming a professional in the packaging industry requires you to have a degree in packaging science. But as many of you already in packaging surely know, this is far from the case.
“I didn’t choose a career in packaging, it chose me!”
This saying exists because so many people in the industry took unconventional paths to get here. And why? Because packaging is inherently multidisciplinary, blending areas such as material science, engineering, ergonomics, design, branding, marketing, sustainability, and much more. Today, we’re going to walk through some examples of college majors that, on the surface, may seem completely irrelevant to the world of packaging, but in fact could be the perfect unconventional path to packaging.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
Analyze how unconventional college majors contribute transferable skills to the packaging industry.
Evaluate how interdisciplinary approaches enhance packaging practices.
Chemistry
The first unconventional major we’re going to talk about today is probably the easiest one to connect to packaging—chemistry. At its core, packaging science and design uses an understanding of material properties, systems, and real-world conditions to create effective packaging solutions. Who better to understand the possibilities and limitations of different packaging materials than someone trained in chemistry?
Whether working with plastics, paper, glass, or biodegradable alternatives, chemistry graduates can analyze material performance and help develop packaging solutions that meet both function and regulatory requirements.
In fact, we have a chemistry major on our team here at The Packaging School—our very own academic director, Dr. Julie Suggs. When asked about a chemistry major’s understanding of materials and properties, Dr. Suggs stated:
"Chemistry majors, like myself, are trained to understand how materials behave under different conditions, including heat, pressure, light, and chemical exposure. This knowledge is essential in the packaging industry, where selecting the right material ensures product safety, durability, and shelf life."
Given the thousands of polymers and materials used in packaging, not to mention the new ones emerging weekly, chemistry majors are well suited to help teams understand the possibilities and limitations of various materials.
Psychology
Now, we’re going to get into a major that might make less sense on the surface than chemistry. But stay with us on this. At its core, packaging design is about understanding consumer behavior in order to create solutions that stand out on store shelves and drive sales. As a result, packaging is often referred to as “the silent salesperson.”
With their enhanced understanding of the human condition, psychology majors are well equipped to assist packaging and marketing teams in knowing how to appeal to consumer preferences with packaging design.
As an example, a psychology major on a packaging team for a consumer packaged goods (CPG) brand could focus on researching and analyzing consumer behavior and preference data. Since psychology majors understand the human psyche, they are well equipped to interpret this data to know what will grab a consumer’s attention. They could suggest principles like the biophilia hypothesis which posits humans have an inherent bent to engage with other forms of life. This could lead to the incorporation of some form of nature into a packaging design.
With experience diving into consumer psychology data, psychology majors in the industry can help bring clarity to how both new and current designs connect with consumers at a deeper level.
History
Ok, so we were able to convince you on chemistry and psychology, but surely there’s no way a history major could be relevant to the packaging industry, right? Well . . .
Core skills developed in virtually any undergraduate history program include research, critical analysis, and problem solving. These skills are highly transferable to research and development functions in the packaging industry—from new material research to shifting current materials for regulatory compliance and everything in between.
Once a history major gets up to speed with the technical side of the industry, either through online education or on-the-job training, they become a vital asset to a packaging R&D department. A history major can bring new research techniques, methods, and problem-solving capabilities that may be overlooked by folks with other backgrounds.
And no one is better equipped to understand and analyze the historical use of packaging materials, machinery, and trends than a history major. Due to their experience reading interdisciplinary historical analyses spanning time periods and industries, a history major using their skills in the packaging industry could find and perhaps revive ancient techniques for packaging materials and processes.
Conclusion
The point we’re trying to make is that packaging has a place for anyone—regardless of your background. So, if you’re someone who’s looking to make a career change, consider packaging. Your unique skill set might be just what a packaging company is looking for. This video barely scratches the surface with the majors we covered. Check in the video description for links to full-length articles that do a deep dive in how these three fields correlate to packaging.
If you’re looking to add packaging education to your resume, visit Packagingschool.com, where you’ll find a variety of certificate programs along with an extensive course catalog to fill in any knowledge gaps you might have. We appreciate you taking the time to watch this video, and as always, be sure to subscribe to The Packaging School on YouTube.
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