What does a packer do?
A key part of the distribution chain, packers work at retail or manufacturing companies’ warehouses or production facilities and are responsible for getting the correct products from storage and preparing them for shipment. This involves carefully checking orders for the required items and quantities, prepping and maintaining the packing machines and, once wrapped and appropriately packed, loading the packages onto shipping trucks.
Packers may also need to collect and update the shipping documentation, and label all packages. As part of their role, packers consider the most economical way to pack and ship products of various weights, shapes and sizes.
Packer skills and qualifications
To succeed in their role, a packer should have the following skills and aptitudes:
- Ability to operate packing machines
- Good hand-eye coordination
- Ability to work on their feet for extended periods of time
- Good attention to detail to meet order specifications
- Comfortable working as part of a team
- Physically able to lift and move heavy items
Packer experience requirements
It’s common for a packer to start working without any special experience, as they usually learn and pick up skills on the job. This may involve starting by shadowing a more experienced packer for a period of time.
Still, any previous experience in warehouse work or a similar role is, of course, beneficial. Look for skills in operating packing or warehouse machinery, or any relevant internships the applicant may have completed. Any previous knowledge might save you costs spent on training up the new staff member.
Packer education and training requirements
In Australia, there are no formal educational or training requirements to work as a packer, so the barrier to entry is low. However, most employers expect their packers to have completed at least Year 10 schooling. Most packers start their career through a traineeship to acquire practical hands-on experience, or while learning on the job when joining their first employer .
It may be advantageous to hire a packer who has opted to obtain a Certificate II in Warehousing Operations or a similar qualification through TAFE or another registered training provider to build their industry knowledge. Specialist skills such as a forklift licence are also something to look out for in candidates.
Packer salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a packer is $28.90 per hour. This salary average is fairly consistent across all states, with only a slightly higher rate being reported in the major cities. Some private-sector companies are also offering above-average packer rates of over $30.00 per hour.
Job description samples for similar positions
There are a few roles with similar duties to a packer. Take a look to see if you need to hire one of these workers in addition to or instead of a packer for your site:
Packer job description FAQs
Is packer a full-time or part-time role?
Packers can be hired on a full-time or part-time basis. Employing a packer on a full-time basis means they will be able to familiarise themselves with your facilities, processes and products more quickly. On the other hand, part-time packers are a good choice if your operations involve a lot of weekend, holiday and shift work, which is the case for many companies.
If your business is seasonal, you may want to invest in temporary contract packers during busy periods, such as the lead-up to Christmas. Hiring part-time contract packers has the advantage that you can scale up or down their numbers as needed, giving you greater flexibility and cost-effectiveness.
What career progression might a packer expect?
Packer is usually an entry-level role. After a few years of experience, a packer may expect to progress to the role of packing manager or supervisor and take on additional responsibility . Some packers will want to progress into a role in logistics or production, while more technically minded packers might choose to look for an opportunity as a mechanic or manager in maintenance.
How physically demanding is the packer role?
Packers are on their feet all day and lift heavy items and packages as part of their role. This means that some degree of physical fitness is essential in order to be able to perform this role.
What’s more, conditions in warehouses or production facilities can often be uncomfortable and hot, and some safety equipment may need to be worn, so a packer needs to be able to cope with such working environments.
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