Page 29 - FINAT Yearbook 2015

LABELS AND PACKAGING: WHERE’S THE NEW BLOOD?
So, back to Labels and Packaging. Where is the new blood? Where are the new executives that will drive the industry on and push us all forward in the way digital media has exploded over recent years?
industry, what will we face? Another frank statement: dinosaurs will die. Whether this is soon or over the next few decades, we badly need new blood coming through that is dynamic, educated and passionate. Who better than graduates to fill the retirements
development. We can help the decisions makers to place their trust in Young people and show them what it can actually do for them. It is not beyond the realms of possibility to bring major players in labels and both the supply and printing/converting side to
“The older generation in the industry should have
a hand in picking the best young minds available. This is where FINAT especially can step in and encourage them to take that role.”
From a personal perspective, I can count on one hand the amount of young executives who are under 35 in the field in the UK on the supplier side. That includes me. This is a truly sad state of affairs I’m sure you’ll all agree. Our industry is still growing and the picture is not completely a dark one. However, we need to ensure that growth does not come to a screaming halt simply because the big names retire.
FAMILY BUSINESS: NOT THE ONLY WAY TO BRING IN YOUNG PEOPLE
Of course, young people are brought into this industry through work in a family business, which is the case for many of us in the YMC, myself included. This surely cannot be the only route into the industry. It is something the YMC acknowledge and discuss frequently but we need to try and shake things up in that respect. There is one example I know of that actively seek to employ young people in executive roles where possible, opting for young graduates that have proven their worth and have a passion for the industry. This is a UK based press manufacturer and their business has innovated and has enjoyed high levels of success in recent years. I am in no doubt that this is due to the trust they place in their young managers.
There isn’t a quick fix answer but without attracting young people to the
that will surely come en masse in the coming years? There are big boots that will need to be filled.
OK, these young upstarts will be green and will probably take time to adapt to how business and our industry works. But let’s remind ourselves that despite the age of the industry being high, we already have some the best business minds anywhere in the world. New blood should be embraced and knowledge can be passed on by those that have been there and done it already. There shouldn’t be an ‘us and them’ approach. The older generation in the industry should have a hand in picking the best young minds available. This is where FINAT especially can step in and encourage them to take that role.
BRINGING GRADUATES INTO LABELS
Engaging with top European Universities, delivering talks to students near graduation, offering insights into the world of labels and packaging could be a hugely useful tool in getting the talent that the industry is screaming out for. FINAT could take a massive role here, and us as the Young Leaders of the industry should meet the task head on. The Young Manager’s Club would do the industry a service looking at what we can do to bring graduates into Labels and furthermore, helping in their
see that young managerial talent will only enhance their business and provide longevity should they be encouraged and developed.
YMC: TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT’S BUBBLING UNDER THE SURFACE
What’s more, we as Young Managers who are still learning and developing ourselves, can prepare this pioneering new group for life in this industry. We’re part of the YMC because we care about what we do, why we do it and the people in it. This is why we must take a closer look at something bubbling under the surface.
We can always choose to ignore this issue but I promise you it will come back and bite us.
Let’s talk about this. Do you share my opinions? What can we do as the group of FINAT most likely to be able to engage with graduates and young executives from other industries? How can we to spearhead this and bring more young people like ourselves into Labels? How do we get the message to them? Can we utilise social media tools to encourage this? These are all questions that are not difficult to answer. They just need a bit of enthusiasm and I see no better group anywhere in the world to get the ball rolling.
I’d really love to discuss this with you all. Let’s push things forward.
29
FINAT YEARBOOK 2015 |