Category: Understanding Plastics: Introductory Mini-Courses for Beginners

Plastics courses for a confident start in the industry

Understand the terms. Follow technical conversations. Know what to ask next.

Starting a job in the plastics industry means learning a new professional vocabulary. A customer asks about a polymer grade, a supplier mentions material properties, or a colleague raises a question about moisture. Understanding these terms helps you take part in the conversation.

Understanding Plastics brings together short introductory online courses on polymer raw materials, plastics processing terminology and moisture in plastics. Choose the topic you need for your work and build your knowledge step by step. No previous technical education is required.

What you can learn

These beginner courses help you understand the language used to describe plastics, discuss processing methods and explain material characteristics such as density, melt flow and moisture content. Use that foundation to ask clearer questions and communicate more confidently with customers, suppliers, production teams and laboratories.

The collection currently includes the following courses.

Industry Glossary: 100 Key Terms in Polymer Raw Materials and Properties

Learn the vocabulary used to describe and compare polymer raw materials. Get familiar with the terms you will encounter in conversations about material properties and applications.

Course reference: PLAS-INT-2005.

Industry Glossary: 100 Key Terms in Plastics Processing

Build your understanding of plastics processing terminology. Follow discussions about manufacturing processes such as injection moulding, extrusion and blow moulding more easily, and develop a shared vocabulary with technical colleagues, customers and suppliers.

Course reference: PLAS-INT-2004.

Introduction to Moisture in Plastics

Understand why moisture content matters in plastics and how it relates to material preparation and processing. Build a foundation for learning more about drying, moisture measurement and quality control.

Course reference: LAB-P1-2001.

Who are these courses for?

• New employees in plastics production, laboratories and quality control.
• Sales and customer service professionals who discuss materials and products with customers.
• Purchasing and logistics staff working with polymer raw materials.
• Students, trainees and people starting a career in the plastics industry.
• Managers looking for introductory courses to support employee onboarding.

Certificates and diplomas

After completing your course, you receive a personal certificate of participation. Participants who take the final online test can also obtain a diploma if they achieve the required result. Read the certificate and diploma requirements for details.

Choose the course that answers your questions

Start with a glossary if unfamiliar terminology makes your work harder. Choose the moisture course if your questions concern material preparation or moisture content in plastics. Check each course page for its syllabus, available languages and access details.

Start with the topic you need today. Use what you learn in your next conversation.