March 12, 2026
The corrugated packaging industry has always been built on experience. Knowledge is passed down from plant floors to boardrooms, from seasoned professionals who understand the nuances of our operations, our customers, and our culture. But as workforce dynamics continue to evolve, one thing has become increasingly clear: Intentional mentorship has become a strategic imperative.
Across manufacturing and packaging, companies are navigating tightening labor markets, increased competition for talent, and a generation of students and early-career professionals seeking clarity, connection, and purpose in their career choices. Mentorship bridges that gap. It humanizes our industry, accelerates professional development, and creates a sense of belonging that no job posting or recruitment video can replicate.
Mentorship as a Workforce Strategy
For industry leaders, mentorship delivers value on multiple levels. It strengthens leadership pipelines, improves retention, and provides an opportunity for experienced professionals to sharpen their coaching and communication skills. For students and young professionals, mentorship offers something equally powerful: visibility into real career paths, confidence in decision-making, and access to professionals who can help translate classroom learning into real-world application.
Just as importantly, mentorship reinforces the collaborative, relationship-driven nature of the corrugated packaging industry. It creates meaningful touchpoints among companies, educational institutions, and future employees.
Creating Early Authentic Industry Exposure
One of the most effective aspects of mentorship is exposure. Seeing a corrugated operation firsthand, asking questions of someone who has built a career in the industry, and understanding how individual roles connect to a larger value chain can be transformative for students. These experiences help demystify manufacturing careers and showcase the innovation, sustainability, and problem-solving that define modern corrugated packaging.
When students can envision themselves in the industry, not just as operators or engineers but as leaders, designers, problem-solvers, and innovators, the talent pipeline becomes stronger and more resilient.
ICPF’s Commitment to Mentorship
At the International Corrugated Packaging Foundation (ICPF), supporting students and strengthening the industry’s workforce has always been central to our mission. Over the past several years, we’ve expanded our outreach efforts to meet students earlier in their career exploration journey and provide deeper, more meaningful engagement with industry professionals.
This spring, ICPF will take another step forward with the launch of Corrugated Connections, a new mentorship program designed to connect students with experienced professionals across the corrugated packaging industry. The program is intentionally structured to be manageable for busy professionals while providing students with consistent guidance, industry exposure, and professional development over the course of an academic year.
The goal is simple: to foster authentic career-focused relationships that benefit mentors, mentees, and the industry as a whole.
A Call to the Next Generation of Industry Leaders
As we prepare to launch Corrugated Connections, we are especially interested in engaging early- and midcareer professionals across the corrugated packaging industry who are passionate about sharing their experiences and supporting students ages 18–25. Professionals who have recently navigated early career decisions, transitions, and growth milestones are uniquely positioned to connect with students, relate to their questions, and provide practical, relevant guidance.
Serving as a mentor does not require decades of experience; it requires curiosity, openness, and a willingness to invest a small amount of time to make a meaningful impact. For many mentors, the experience is equally rewarding, offering opportunities to develop leadership skills, expand professional networks, and play an active role in shaping the industry’s future.
Additional details on how to participate as a mentor will be shared in the coming weeks. We encourage professionals who are interested in giving back, growing as leaders, and helping students see a future for themselves in corrugated packaging to consider getting involved.
Caitlin Salaverria is president of ICPF.
