Premium Beauty News - Since when does this school exists and what kind of training do you provide?
Serge German - The ESEPAC was created in 1991 on the initiative of both the CCI of Le Puy-Yssingeaux and the University Blaise Pascal in Clermont-Ferrand. We train a hundred students each year.
There is first a Masters in Packaging Engineering (European diploma, 5 years after A’ Levels). This training is open to owners of a Degree in Science and Technology or incidentally of professional degrees related to packaging, and who wish to start a career as "Packaging Developers" or "Packaging Engineers". It’s a two year work-linked or full time training, but companies tend to prefer the first solution.
We also offer a Professional Degree in Packaging Technology (3 years after A’ levels), for graduates (with 2 years academic background) wishing to start a job in Engineering Office (paper-cardboard & plastics); it is a one year work-linked or full time training.
Students are placed in a environment similar to that of a corporate one: reporting to a Cluster Manager, assignments for companies on real projects, work load, rhythm of work and work tools similar to those of a company, participation to professional contests.
We are also a human scale school. There are a hundred students which enables to have reduced working groups comprising 16 to 18 trainees. The classrooms are located directly around the workshop, staff offices are in the workshop, in permanent contact with students.
When we designed our new building, we tried to replicate the team spirit which is so efficient in a corporate environment.
Premium Beauty News - Indeed, you have just inaugurated new buildings. Why was this investment important?
Serge German - This unique school for its 20 years of existence, has made a fine project come true. At last a building to our image, a close link between the corporate world and training. Through this achievement, the ESEPAC wishes to promote packaging occupations and identify them as positions producing value added and with career prospects. Moreover, the job market in this area is particularly attractive and the proposed positions very motivating too.
Since 2006, 96% of our graduates found a job four months after having graduated. Thus, the ESEPAC is improving further the quality of its service offer to the industry, both in training and in the services offered in an infrastructure to match its ambitions.
Premium Beauty News - What is your link with the beauty business?
Serge German - Since our inception, our students join packing users and for some of them, the field of perfumery and cosmetics.
If you find them, with a full job or alternating with training sessions, at Yves Rocher, Puig, Dior, Shiseido and many other great names, it is because the curriculum forms them to the different materials in use in the field of beauty, to the tools for designing and prototyping, but it’s also because professionals in their trades share with them their passion for design, innovation and give them an entrepreneurial spirit.
We convey, I am convinced, similar values to those of such a sector: we strive for excellence, results, we encourage creativity, we invest heavily in technical equipment.
The field of beauty has a lot of attractiveness for young people. The ESEPAC is therefore setting up an even stronger partnership with this specific sector. Our new campus dedicated to packaging has been designed for flying packaging colours high to Beauty operators and meet their expectations. It’s a fine available tool, for all of those who, like us, have grown a passion for packaging designing allowing young people to develop our future.
