How long does it take to become a Packer?

It takes 2 years of professional experience to become a packer. That is the time it takes to learn specific packer skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.

How To Become A Packer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a packer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A packer is responsible for preparing goods and products for shipment or storage in various industries, from retail to manufacturing, and is typically responsible for labeling and organizing products. Good communication skills are required to coordinate with other team members and ensure that products are properly packed and shipped. A packer must be detail-oriented and able to work quickly to meet production deadlines. They may also operate machinery to assist with packing tasks.

ScorePackerUS Average

Salary

2.4

Avg. Salary $30,118

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

4.2

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.66%

Asian 7.72%

Black or African American 12.97%

Hispanic or Latino 20.30%

Unknown 3.68%

White 54.67%

Gender

female 58.67%

male 41.33%

Age - 39

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39

Stress Level

4.2

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

5.9

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

8.7

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Packer?

Pros

Low entry requirements
Easy to learn
Available in many industries
Opportunities for overtime
Can lead to advancement within the company

Cons

Repetitive work can be boring and tiring
Work may be seasonal or dependent on industry demand
Strict targets and deadlines can be stressful
Little autonomy or decision-making power
May require standing for long periods

Key steps to become a packer

Explore packer education requirements

Most common packer degrees

High School Diploma

56.5 %

Diploma

16.7 %

Associate

11.9 %

Start to develop specific packer skills

Skills	Percentages
Pallets	19.60%
Defective Products	16.81%
Assembly Line	6.57%
Electric Pallet Jack	6.41%
Safety Regulations	5.96%

Complete relevant packer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New packers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a packer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real packer resumes.

Research packer duties and responsibilities

Pack ice cream at the Unilever company
Follow customers and ISO guidelines when inspecting and packing parts.
Execute all quality procedures to ensure that they are ISO compliant.
Process orders in FedEx and USPS data base, maintain clean work area.

Prepare your packer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your packer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a packer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Packer Resume templates

Build a professional Packer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Packer resume.

Apply for packer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a packer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do packers rate their job?

What is a packer and how to become one

What are the pros and cons of being a Packer?

Packer career paths

Key steps to become a packer

Explore packer education requirements

Most common packer degrees

Start to develop specific packer skills

Complete relevant packer training and internships

Research packer duties and responsibilities

Prepare your packer resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Packer Resume templates

Apply for packer jobs

How Did You Land Your First Packer Job

Average packer salary

How do packers rate their job?

Packer FAQs

How long does it take to become a Packer?

Search for packer jobs

Packer jobs by state