Inspiring curiosity and fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement is one of Pratt’s guiding principles. From students to professionals, we strive to offer opportunities to help the future leaders of packaging gain the experience and confidence needed to unbox their full potential.
Outreach to Students
Throughout the year, we visit high schools, technical institutions, colleges and universities across the country to educate students about the benefits of a career in the corrugated packaging industry.
Several of our locations have special relations and job placement programs with local school districts. Our Regional Manufacturing and Innovation Center in Cedar Hill, Texas sponsors a training and development program in collaboration with the city and school district.
Pratt’s corrugating team in Lewisburg, Ohio attended a community career fair at a nearby high school to educate students about career opportunities and benefits, including tuition reimbursement.
Tuition Reimbursement
Many of our new employees begin on the production floor as high school graduates, unsure of what their career paths may be. Over time, they realize they want to pursue their college degree for personal reasons or to continue to grow their careers.
Pratt encourages employees to complete their college or graduate degrees while they work with the help of our tuition reimbursement program.
“I graduated in May 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety & Health because of the Pratt Tuition Reimbursement Program,” shared Rebecca Carpenter, Safety Coordinator for Pratt Recycling in Denton, TX. “This seemed impossible before I became a part of the Pratt Recycling team. Thanks to this program, I have achieved one of my major educational goals.”
Internships & Co-ops
While Pratt has established several relationships with well-known packaging programs including those at Clemson University, Virginia Tech and Michigan State among others, we recruit interns and co-op students from across the nation with wide-ranging degrees of study.
Students receive hands-on experience within their fields of study, working alongside experienced Pratt employees to apply the skills and knowledge gained in the classroom to real-world scenarios. “I was given a lot of responsibility and freedom to try new things as an intern. It was surprising at first,” said Ashley Cox, a sales intern with Pratt’s Retail Specialty Division. “But then I realized that this is how Pratt’s team encourages creativity and provides real life work experiences.
Internships typically take place during summer months, while the co-op program takes place during the school year, allowing participants to work as a full time Pratt employee earning college credit.
“It’s exciting to see the growth in our internship and co-op program over the last few years. We now have students working in almost every segment of the business,” said Laurie Dyches, Director of Training and Development for Pratt U. “We bring them together several times over the summer, including at our summit in Atlanta where they are able to enjoy time together, network with Pratt leadership – including lunch with Global CEO, Brian McPheely – and present projects that they’ve worked on.”
Training Future Leaders
Pratt provides a number of hands-on training opportunities to current employees through Pratt U. These programs cover a wide range of skills including communication, collaboration, leadership and work/life balance. Many are tailored to specific production roles so that employees can apply what they learn directly to their job responsibilities.
“We develop our training programs to help employees build their skills and grow in their careers,” said Artie Louszko, Director of Training and Development for Pratt U. “The training our employees receive through our programs allows them to keep pace with the latest industry advancements, machinery improvements and technology.”
Additionally, Pratt has developed programs that enable employees to take the next step in their careers. New supervisors have the opportunity to participate in a one-year program that guides them on how to manage a team, ensure operational excellence and foster growth for themselves and their employees.
Pratt recently launched a Leadership Development Program. The one-year program helps employees with leadership experience to understand Pratt’s business operations, offering participants a unique opportunity to be immersed in a manufacturing environment while gaining hands-on leadership experience.
“I’m excited to be a part of the Leadership Development Program at Pratt,” says Kyle May, a program participant. “In my short time here, I’ve learned that company leaders are really open and accepting of new ideas and provide the necessary tools and training to help you succeed. And, with it being manufacturing, it offers a stable, reliable career with infinite room to grow.”
Another leadership program recently launched is the Pratt Industries’ Masters of Business & Leadership. Partnering with the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School, the five month program helps enable and empower employees to strengthen their leadership skills and grow both professionally and personally.
One of Pratt’s guiding principles is to provide an environment where our people are empowered to learn, grow and thrive. Through various community outreach and education programs and internal training and leadership classes, Pratt hopes to help the future leaders of our industry unbox their full potential.
To learn more about career opportunities at Pratt, visit Careers.PrattIndustries.com.
Pratt Industries provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.