Crown Holdings, a leading manufacturer of sustainable aluminium packaging, is marking the 10th year of its FORWARD Initiative to accelerate the careers of the next generation of emerging talent in the manufacturing industry.
With offerings across both Europe and the United States, this three-year rotational program exposes participants to three different roles in up to three different locations across packaging-related disciplines such as engineering, quality assurance, and continuous improvement. Selected participants will be mentored by Crown leadership throughout the development campaign and will graduate into a manager role.
“Over the past 10 years, Crown’s FORWARD Initiative has provided an unparalleled opportunity for early career professionals to foster the critical skills and develop the broadened perspectives necessary to thrive in our fast-moving industry,” said Sidonie Lécluse, Crown’s Chief Human Resources Officer. “It is our great honor to extend this opportunity to a new class of the most promising young professionals within the manufacturing industry whose careers will undoubtedly advance sustainable packaging solutions.”
Since its launch in 2016, the program has fast-tracked the careers of over 50 graduates. One of these participants is Ludovico Sarperi, who, since completing the program in July 2023, has worked his way up to being Crown’s Director of Global Procurement Finance.
“The FORWARD Initiative challenged me to deepen my understanding of business functionalities across not only the manufacturing sector but the sustainable packaging landscape,” said Sarperi. “The program has been a crucial catalyst in my development of diverse skill sets, enabling me to confidently lead and innovate in an industry that continuously blends product areas and cultures."
The prominence of aluminium packaging is skyrocketing with the global market size of aluminium cans expected to grow from $61.2 billion in 2026 to $94.1 billion by 2036. One of the consumer areas where this growth has been most notable is the beverage industry as 75% of all new drinks launched across North America are now packaged in aluminium cans, more than double that of just five years ago.
According to consumer data, one of the main explanations for this trajectory is the environmental integrity of aluminium packaging, which is not only lightweight to ship but 100% infinitely recyclable with 75% of all aluminium ever made still in use today.
The EU iteration of Crown’s FORWARD Initiative is now accepting applications via the company’s career portal, and the US program is expected to follow in early February. Interested parties must have two to five years of experience in engineering or commercial roles within the manufacturing industry to apply.