• The 2024 AIP President Award winner of a Diploma in Packaging Technology Scholarship is Camilo Serrano, packaging engineer at Don KRC.
    The 2024 AIP President Award winner of a Diploma in Packaging Technology Scholarship is Camilo Serrano, packaging engineer at Don KRC.
  • Camilo Serano tells co-MC Sally Williams what the award means to him.
    Camilo Serano tells co-MC Sally Williams what the award means to him.
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The AIP President’s Scholarship has been designed to work in collaboration with the ABA program to help one additional person undertake either a Certificate in Packaging or a Diploma in Packaging Technology each year.

Camilo Serano tells co-MC Sally Williams what the award means to him.
Camilo Serano tells co-MC Sally Williams what the award means to him.

This year, the AIP will be providing one additional Diploma in Packaging Technology scholarship under the AIP President’s awards to Camilo Serrano, packaging engineer at Don KRC.

About the winner:

As a mechanical engineer, Serrano started to grow an interest in packaging from the moment he graduated with his Bachelor's degree overseas.

His first experience in packaging was in Colombia (his home country) working for a multi-national cosmetics company.

In 2022, Serrano started his journey in a packaging role in Australia, this time in a food manufacturer – Don Smallgoods – part of George Weston Foods (GWF). This was very different from cosmetics.

He believes that the Diploma in Packaging Technology will give him the tools to not only better understand the Australian packaging Industry, but also provide him with the technical knowledge necessary to make Don Smallgoods a role model in the food manufacturing industry and circular economy.

In five years, he sees himself sharing his knowledge with future generations of packaging professionals, as well as collaborating with other industries in the research and development of new sustainable materials.

Serrano is committed to keep growing professionally and to inspire future packaging professionals to make packaging technology their career of choice.

Food & Drink Business

A national network for young grape and wine professionals has been launched, set to foster the next generation of winemakers, viticulturists, cellar door staff, wine judges and other roles in Australia’s wine sector.

A new bill was introduced to Parliament on 19 November, which offers a framework for regulating the sale or importation of organic goods in Australia, and stronger opportunities for exporting organic products.

The Senate Economics Committee has rejected the Food Donations Bill that proposed a tax offset for companies donating excess food to food relief agencies rather than dumping it. While the bill had the potential to deliver the equivalent of 100 million meals to food relief organisations, the committee said it had “serious concerns” including the bill’s “generous” tax concessions. Food relief agencies and social welfare organisations have questioned the committee’s decision to reject the bill outright rather than make recommendations for amendments.