Packaging interns tour distribution facilities

Internships at the Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design offer students many opportunities for out-of-classroom learning. In June, the center’s interns and staff visited two nearby design/warehouse/distribution facilities — Elizabeth Arden and Packaging Corporation of America — where they heard presentations about the importance of packaging to individual businesses and the economy at large, and learned about plant safety, material flow optimization, and the management systems and technology necessary to operate a global distribution center. These two firms actively recruit Virginia Tech students for in-house internships as well as full-time employment. The visit allowed the students to see how their on-campus internship experience and the testing methods they are learning at the center relate to their future careers in the field.