How professional development is strengthening Cospak’s productivity and output

Industry experts in packaging, design, and development, Cospak NZ, are firm believers in the power of education. With a business goal of creating a culture of continuous improvement, Cospak partnered with Edvance Workplace Education to upskill its team and embed smarter processes.

At Cospak’s East Tamaki site, 15 employees from warehouse and customer service roles took part in a 20-week programme, dedicating two hours each week to a foundational introduction to Lean principles — including efficiency, waste reduction, and effective workplace communication.

“Lean is a transformation,” says Edvance Trainer Desiree Gelbart. “It’s about taking your existing processes and learning how to work smarter, not harder. Communication underpinned everything we taught, because it’s a core part of Lean — He waka eke noa, it requires everyone working together in the same boat.”

Cospak General Manager Anton Bruell and HR Advisor Miloni Ahitan have taken a unique approach to upskilling their team — they put their heads down, pens to paper, and studied the programme alongside their employees.

“When I selected participants for the programme, I felt strongly that Anton and I should be part of it as well,” says Ahitan. “At Cospak, we believe that it’s important for management to lead by example and work alongside the team, so everyone is held to the same expectations.”

Beyond the content itself, Ahitan says the opportunity to learn alongside colleagues was invaluable. “It helped us build stronger relationships with people we see every day, but don’t always get the chance to work closely with. That shared experience has made a real difference.”

From the outset, Cospak’s goals for the professional development were clear: to encourage initiative, improve workflow clarity, and create greater value for stakeholders. Speaking with graduates, it’s clear the programme has delivered on all fronts.

Samisoni Ahio, Dayshift Team Lead, says the programme boosted his confidence and capability. “It’s helped me go beyond my daily tasks and really focus on achieving my KPIs. The course sharpened the tools I already had and showed me how to use them more effectively.”

For Corey McIntyre, a Yielder on the night shift, the programme has transformed his work life and his personal life. “It has opened my eyes to all sorts of waste and errors. I also found the communication concepts to be incredibly valuable for navigating discussion with upper management, even just for writing an email.”

One Lean concept stood out in particular. “Kaizen really clicked for me — having a place for everything. My partner is very happy,” he laughs. “I come home and want to organise the house now.”

Customer Service Supervisor Mansi Mehta says the biggest takeaway was perspective. “Getting to know my teammates on a deeper level was huge. In customer service, it’s important to understand what happens behind the scenes, and now I have a much clearer picture of each role and process.”

Ahitan calls it a “shared language” where the graduates now have a suite of tools that empower staff to identify issues, improve processes, and take initiative. With noticeable reductions in wasted time and resources, the programme is worth its weight in gold.

When asked if they would recommend the programme, each graduate says yes. McIntyre doesn’t hesitate. “Unquestionably. Desiree is next level. She was on a never-ending quest to make everyone feel comfortable and confident. My only criticism is that only 15 of us took part. I’d love to see the entire company do it.”