Premium Beauty News: A few words on your school first...
Serge German - Founded on 5 October 1991, at the instigation of the ICC of the Haute-Loire region and the University Blaise Pascal, 20 years ago, the Esepac delivers a European Master of Packaging Engineering since 2005 and the European License of Packaging Technology since 2009. 600 students have graduated since 1992. The Esepac has 9 full-time employees plus 13 university professors, 35 professionals. The bulk of revenues come from the training levy, considering that each student costs an average of 10,000 euros.
To note that in 2010 we built a new building of 1,200 sqm (12,916 sq ft.).
We can say that the Esepac under the leadership of the ICC and of the University, has become the leader of higher education in packaging in France, with the only Master in this field and a promotion with more than 40 students. The placement rate is, four months after graduation, of 96%. We have developed a very strong relationship with the companies. We manage a portfolio of over 200 partner businesses (Work-based learning, Training, Intervention, Vocational Training, Studies & industrial projects...). Finally, we animate the "Prospective Packaging" club which brings together decision makers from different industrial fields of activities. This club proposes potential axes of development for packaging courses.
Premium Beauty News - Work-based learning is a strong element of your training?
Serge German - 95% of students are on a work-based learning scheme! The ESEPAC aims to train line managers in the field of packaging. It offers full-time courses (with trainings) or on a work-linked basis, to enable students to confront their theoretical knowledge to corporate reality and develop real skills.
Work-based learning can be achieved with both packaging manufacturers, distributors and packaging users, in SMEs and SMIs or multinationals, on the entire French territory and in all areas of activity.
Premium Beauty News - You have also reviewed your Master in Packaging Engineering in 2012!
Serge German - Diplomas are rehabilitated every 5 years by a European agency (AERES). We have organized the master along three courses focused on, the occupations of packaging project manager, packaging technical designer/developer and as Head of the graphics chain.
The project manager has a transversal role of project organizer, of conductor. He has the responsibility of the project completion, and he must take into consideration all the constraints; technical, economic compliance, deadlines, as well as the adequacy with the strategies of the company, its resources, its prospects for development in terms of markets and staff.
The technical developer is in charge of the technical realization of the project, its perfect match with the technical, economic constraints and deadlines. He is responsible for the perfect workability of the designed solution.
The role of graphic chain manager is to improve the efficiency of the creative process and graphic design. It interacts with such functions as communication, marketing, sales force, regulatory, creative agencies and printers. He is responsible for the adequacy of the printed document to the original document, the technical, economic requirements, and deadlines.
Premium Beauty News - How did this specific training on luxury packaging emerge?
Serge German - Several companies involved in luxury products (perfumes and cosmetics mainly) were having difficulties finding qualified staff in packaging technologies. Positions concerned project management in which the necessary technical knowledge is high. At the end of 2010, the LVMH Group, through Daniel Saclier, looked for a training organization that would be in a position to organize training courses focusing on technical packaging.
After studying several avenues with LVMH and the Puig group. The decision was taken to create a group of 12 to 15 students for whom three complete EU of the Master program were adapted to the specificities of this field. This corresponded to about 190h of technical courses. The implementation began transversally as of September 2011.
The system is complemented by interventions at the Esepac of professionals in perfumery/cosmetics, by the establishment of tutored projects (Case studies), through the submission of technical subjects for students to work on the during their training. There is a an introductory brief on the subject, an interim review and a dossier and/or defence given at the end of the training.
Subjects come from the perfume/cosmetic industry, the school supports students on their technical work. The evaluation of results and comments are made by the perfume/cosmetic industry. (The first one was undertaken by Guerlain).
Premium Beauty News - And what about the future?
Serge German - The future is also hinged for us around vocational training and international development.
The dissemination of knowledge to the company will be at the heart of the Esepac’s concerns as part of degree courses or qualified training (targeted training). Packaging is currently experiencing major changes in terms of technologies, materials, organization and working methods. Brand owners are integrating or developing packaging functions focused on design; in parallel convertors are increasing called upon for global solutions, combining several materials; distribution gets involved in functions pertaining to design and the structuring of technical demand in packaging. Cross-cutting skills are increasingly gaining in importance for the success of projects and therefore of companies, beyond people’s need for retraining.
As for our entry into operations abroad, it will help develop know-hows, the attractiveness of the school for the industry and to offer higher job opportunities for students. Actions are currently underway on diplomas and content with two European schools, on work-based learning with several companies outside France, on the recruitment of foreign students. The local industrial fabric and its expertise in the field of packaging is a bearer of this line of evolution.
