Print | i-grafix.com | Print News | Packaging News | Wide Format news | Australia, New Zealand and Asia Print and Packaging news from Australia, New Zealand and AsiaPierre Pienaar, former president of the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP), is stepping into the role of vice president of education for the World Packaging Organisation.
Pienaar has been actively supporting packaging education both locally and internationally since his two-year term as AIP president in 2010. He will serve in his new role for the next three years, whilst continuing to run his Brisbane outfit, PackTech Solutions.
He tells APP, “I have a particular interest in ensuring developing countries have the opportunity for better packaging education. The WPO can help them to become more up-to-date with what is happening in the packaging industry, and from a science perspective.
WPO executive: (l-r) Gordon Stewart, outgoing education vice president; Pierre Pienaar, incumbent education vice president; Luciana Pellegrino, marketing vice president; Tom Schneider, president; and Keith Pearson, general secretary
“I want to know that when my term comes to an end, I have made a difference. If I have taught one more person something they didn’t know before, then I’ll have made a difference.
“We intend to implement direct formal education of folk in developing countries over the next five years. Certainly in my term of three years I’m going to make sure that happens.”
Pienaar has already helped to create and deliver tailored courses in Malaysia, Indonesia, Nigeria and Singapore. Later this year he will return to Nigeria for follow-up support, will run a five-day packaging technology course in Vietnam, and will also visit Ghana for the first time.
He says, “The more people we educate in effective packaging, the better we fulfil the WPO mission: better quality of life for more people through better packaging.”
He says China is also showing interest in AIP courses, delivered via the WPO, to help stabilise its food security issues.
Joining the AIP in 2002, Pienaar drove efforts for Australia to become a member of the WPO – secured in 2010 – and also pushed for the AIP’s membership of the WPO’s education and marketing committees.
During his time on the committee he agitated for the WPO to take up the challenge of delivering more in education and training to developing nations.
Pienaar was elected to the education vice president position at the WPO’s biannual meeting in Germany.
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