Rethinking Plastics: An Evolving Industry’s Push for Top Talent

The plastics industry is a viable modern career choice that can provide fulfillment, long-term growth, and positive environmental impact.

Lytia Watson, SHRM-SCP, MBA – Vice President of Human Resources at Deceuninck North America

In today’s competitive job market, attracting top talent requires more than just offering competitive salaries and benefits. It means an employer must win the prospective (and retain existing) employees through evidence of shared values and aligned aspirations.

Once perceived as static, industrial, and bad for the environment, the plastics industry has transformed significantly over the last few decades. A career in plastics manufacturing offers long-term growth and career fulfillment and provides a pathway for someone to have a positive environmental impact. This presents an opportunity for manufacturers to reestablish their image with the public on sustainability and the robust career opportunities that exist in manufacturing. This, in turn, will help such employers to appeal to smart, ambitious job seekers in a competitive recruiting landscape.

By fostering a culture of innovation, sustainability, and continuous improvement, Deceuninck North America is positioning itself as one of those employers of choice. It prioritizes key initiatives such as complex and innovative training programs; an emphasis on diversity, culture building, and inclusion; and an unwavering dedication to sustainability that aligns with the values of the modern workforce.

To truly thrive, the entire plastics industry must address misconceptions and actively work to attract new talent by demonstrating how it has become much more innovative and environmentally responsible.

Why Plastics Gets a Bad Rap

Plastics often face criticism for their environmental impact, particularly regarding their role in global warming and waste. In turn, this has led to some prospective employees looking elsewhere for work in industries such as aerospace, automotive, or pharmaceuticals. But the aerospace and automotive industries rely on plastic components for essential products, too, such as the many components used in aircrafts and motor vehicles. Because plastic is not the most prominent component in these products, manufacturers in these adjacent industries do not have the stigma that commonly falls on the plastics industry. There is even less focus on the many products that utilize plastics for packaging, films, and wrapping materials. The plastics industry itself—and its manufacturers—bears the brunt of this scrutiny, despite great strides in sustainability, material composition, and the material’s crucial role in modern society.

Changing the Conversation

The plastics industry faces a significant challenge in countering claims about plastics being non-biodegradable and environmentally harmful. This challenge is especially pronounced among younger generations and even seen in educational institutions, and this can have a measurable impact on attracting and securing talent. Universities nationwide have responded to declining enrollment in traditional plastics programs by shifting degree names and areas of studies to “polymer” engineering or “polymer” technology.

Deceuninck North America acknowledges this responsibility and is actively addressing these concerns by prioritizing sustainability and recyclability in its operations. For instance, many Deceuninck products incorporate up to 60% recycled PVC materials, which are processed through grinding and pulverizing to be reintegrated into new finished products. Additionally, the company takes a proactive approach by recycling window casings from older homes when owners are upgrading to more energy-efficient windows.

There are so many ways to recycle, eliminate waste, and up the sustainability quotient of the PVC window manufacturing process. In fact, a great deal is being done globally throughout the Deceuninck Group and in North America, including Deceuninck’s free customer tools that measure environmental impact, its membership with the Vinyl Sustainability Council, being GreenCircle certified, and setting stringent net-zero goals in line with global SBTi targets.

Educating the Masses

Breaking down misconceptions boils down to education. It is important for the plastics industry to connect the dots between other industrial manufacturing segments and itself, showcasing the opportunities that plastics also provides.

To use an example, a recent college graduate with a chemistry degree might be seeking a job in pharmaceuticals, not even considering the rich opportunities that the plastics industry has for a chemist. Plastics manufacturing involves significant material compounding and formulation processes, which are critical to developing long-lasting, durable, and energy-efficient window systems. Educating up-and-coming chemists on the opportunities available in plastics manufacturing and materials science is imperative to attracting top chemistry talent.

Similarly, in the automotive sector, the assembly, design, and production of complex machinery for cars parallels many of the advanced manufacturing capabilities present in the plastics industry and for PVC windows and doors specifically. Aerospace professionals, familiar with mouldings and presses, will find that these processes are also central to operations at manufacturing organizations such as Deceuninck.

Despite any potential perceived barriers, the reality is that the plastics industry is home to many smart, expert engineers, chemists, and professionals that are driving innovation, efficiency, and sustainability in manufacturing. Plus, plastics manufacturing can offer competitive wages, benefits, a flexible schedule, good work-life balance, and career advancement opportunities.

On the Rise

While more work must be done to raise the level of awareness of the benefits of plastics manufacturing jobs, the industry is still witnessing growth. According to Grand View Research, the global plastic market was estimated at $624.8 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 4.2% from 2024 to 2030. Contributing to this growth is the increasing switch to plastics over glass, metals, wood, natural rubber, and other materials, which is expected to continue to drive growth in the global plastics market. However, to sustain this expansion and meet the industry’s evolving needs, there is a pressing need for more trained and highly skilled professionals in a variety of fields within plastics. There must be a continued focus on the recruitment and development of skilled workers who can fill the gaps in employment.

The Future in Fenestration

Addressing the recruitment challenges within the fenestration industry requires a proactive and strategic approach, similar to successful practices in other sectors.

Fenestration associations must take a larger role in attracting talent to the industry, whether through building a more defined brand, offering scholarships and grants, or prioritizing recruitment at trade show events. For instance, industries such as aerospace successfully engage young people through recruitment events, fostering interest from a young age. By adopting similar strategies, fenestration associations and the segment as a whole can enhance efforts to attract the next generation of professionals in the industry.

To ensure long-term growth and sustainability, the plastics industry must adopt a similar long-game strategy, investing in both emerging talent and the transitional workforce. Doing so will build a stronger and more dynamic future, attracting more professionals to write the next chapter in plastics manufacturing.