What it does: Manufactures paper, glass, metal and plastic packaging for a wide variety of products.
Best known for: Nampak is the largest packaging manufacture in South Africa and caters to a wide variety of products that ranges from food and beverage to medicine. Its network spans across Africa and some parts of Europe.
Staff stats: Over 5000 employees spread across Africa and Europe, with the bulk of the workforce in South Africa.
The good bits: Diverse and inclusive culture, good benefits including a pension plan, continuous learning opportunities with in-house training programs that match the national framework.
The not so good bits: Long shifts that last for about 12 hours, average work-life balance, slow decision making because of bureaucracy.
Nampak (National Amalgamated Packaging) was formed in 1960 with the acquisition of major South African packaging companies, National Containers and National Packaging. Since then it has diversified its product range and improved its global presence through various acquisitions. It’s listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange under the symbol NPK.
Nampak is known for its inclusive and diverse culture. There are defined targets that the company must achieve in a certain period and there are special programs in place to hit those targets. People development and continuous learning is part of the culture. Someone who starts at the very lowest level will have the opportunity to attend the well-structured courses and get promoted to a line manager level. Getting things done as an individual and group is encouraged with incentives, so teamwork is part of the culture.
Nampak commits about 1% of its profits after taxes for corporate social investment projects. Majority of the proceeds go to the Youth Employment Service (YES) program, which focuses on giving internships and job training for young South Africans. The next majority is given to the school development program. This focuses on developing schools near the offices and factories of Nampak and its subsidiaries. Nampak also contributes to identified charities, hospices and Eco-Schools Program which focuses on environmental education.
At Nampak you’ll be working at South Africa's largest packaging manufacturer with a diverse range of products. You’ll be exposed to the whole manufacturing process of many products. You’ll be surrounded by the experts in the field and you’ll get plenty of opportunities to upskill yourself and advance your career. However, be prepared for long shifts that last for 12 or more hours and a slow decision-making process hampered by bureaucracy.
Nampak hires around 10-20 graduates every year for their graduate trainee program. The graduate must be a South African citizen or a resident and must have completed the degree or in the final year of the degree. The candidate must have maintained a good grade for every subject, every year to qualify for the graduate program. They also must have completed Matric or Grade 12 with mathematics and science, each with a minimum of 50% or NCV Level 3. Must be computer literate and familiar with MS Office, especially MS Word and MS Excel.
They usually advertise around March and applications close around September. The interview process can take 1-2 months. The best way to apply is via their careers page. Use the advanced search to filter graduate trainee opportunities. Candidates need to create an account and fill in the details if they find a suitable position. You have the option to save the searches so you can check back frequently.
Selected candidates will first have a phone interview. This is a basic phone screening interview. Then the candidates will complete a personality test and an IQ test. Candidates who get through this step will face a panel interview that includes a presentation. The panel interview will be attended by the specific divisions’ manager, senior people from that division and HR.
The graduate programs will run for about 18 months. Nampak’s diversified product range will enable graduates to get experience with various packaging products and systems under the guidance of technical experts in the company. The training sessions will focus on skills unique to your chosen fields as well as the overall skills required to understand the full packaging solution. Graduates will be given ample opportunities to participate in different projects under the guidance of senior management. Other than the core skills required for the job, graduates will learn supporting skills that are beneficial for their careers.
After the graduate trainee program, graduates are offered a position in the related division. With a diversified range of products, graduates have the option of moving to different product lines and gain experience in them. Depending on the division, some will be able to go abroad and get valuable international exposure.
People development is part of the culture and there are specialised programs that adhere to the national qualification framework. Graduates can participate in these programs and quickly advance their careers to mid and senior management levels.