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Charlotte Ashcraft, Manager, Packaging & Graphic Development, Just Born Quality Confections

Drawing on her own experiences, Charlotte Ashcraft reveals the crucial skill she believes has been instrumental in her career advancement: the ability to adapt and connect with people from all walks of life.

Charlotte Ashcraft

Tell us about your background and how you got into the packaging industry.

I first became interested in engineering in high school, where I took “Project Lead the Way courses.” These were introductory engineering classes which earned college credit through Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). After touring RIT, I fell in love with the school and decided to study electrical engineering there.

During my junior year of college, I was really struggling with my upper level electrical classes.  I’m such a visual and hands-on person [and] you can’t see electricity! I met with a career advisor at the school, explained my struggle, and she suggested I look into packaging science. I met with the packaging department chair a few days later, changed my major that same day, and never looked back.

What is the most rewarding part of your job today?

The most rewarding part of my job is seeing the results of my work throughout the entire packaging value chain. By collaborating with other stakeholders, I can ensure the packaging I develop will process through our manufacturing operation, protect the product during distribution, display well at retail stores, and deliver a high-quality product into the hands of a consumer. Working for a smaller company, I get to work on every aspect of packaging, and can make a difference. 

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