What does a packer do?
You put products in bags, trays or boxes, fold open new boxes and stack full boxes on a pallet. In a chocolate or biscuit factory you work with a hairnet and gloves.
No experience neededFlexi-jobs & student jobs as a production worker or packer
As a production worker you stand at the line: you feed a machine, sort products, apply labels or take faulty items off the belt. The work is the same every time and you usually learn it in the first hour of your shift. Production companies in Flanders mainly look for extra hands in summer and for big orders. As a student you work up to 650 hours a year at reduced social contributions.
Part of Industry
A late shift on the line
What does a late shift on a production line look like?
A late shift usually runs from 2 pm to 10 pm. In a food company you work on the packing line, help out with a product changeover and clean the line at the end. Click a moment to see how it goes.
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In a food company you can't just walk onto the floor. You put on a hairnet, take off your jewellery, wash your hands and step through a tray of disinfectant. Only then are you in the production area, where nothing may fall into the food.
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The team leader gives you a fixed spot. You put bags into boxes, fold open new boxes or keep the roll of film on the machine topped up. The belt sets the pace, so the first half hour takes some getting used to.
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Around five the line stops because a different product is coming on. You clear away the old packaging and labels and get the new ones ready. A technician sets up the machine, then you check the first boxes for the right best-before date.
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After the evening break in the canteen you often move one spot along the line. If you folded boxes for two hours, you now sort products or check labels. It keeps the work less repetitive and saves your wrists and back.
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The last hour is for cleaning. The line is stopped and you scrape leftovers off the belt, spray foam on the parts and rinse with water. At 10 pm you clock out and the line is ready for the next morning.
Common roles: Production worker (early shift), Line operative (late shift), Sorter (july and august), Labeller (big orders), Assembly worker (day shift), Line cleaner (after the last shift).
Which jobs do you do on the production line?
What does a sorter do?
You take damaged or faulty products off the belt before they are packed. During the vegetable campaign you sort peas, beans or carrots straight from the field.
Stay alert, often in a cold hallWhat does a line attendant do?
You keep the machine running by refilling packaging, film and labels in time. If the line stops, you alert the operator or the technician.
You learn it on your first shiftWhat does an assembly worker do?
You put parts together following a fixed work instruction, often at a workbench next to the belt. After each piece you check that everything is properly fixed.
Good with your handsWhy work in production?
On the line you know exactly what you'll be doing from the start of your shift. For a student job or flexi-job that has a few advantages.
No customers, just rhythm
You don't have to deal with anyone. You work at the pace of the belt, next to colleagues doing the same.
Your mornings stay free
With a late shift you can sleep in or go to class in the morning. Your shift only starts at two.
A regular team
Take several shifts at the same company and you're often on the same team. You quickly get to know the line and the people.
You see what you made
At the end of the shift the pallets you helped fill are ready to go. You see straight away what you've done.
What do you earn as a packer or production worker?
You won't see a fixed amount here, because it depends on the company's sector and on your shift. This is what sets your pay.
The company's pay scale
A food company usually falls under joint committee 118, a metal company under 111. You get at least the pay scale for your job, and as a young student sometimes a lower percentage based on your age.
Shift premium
If you work an early, late or night shift, many collective agreements provide a shift premium on top of your hourly wage. How much differs per committee and per company.
As a flexi-jobber
You get at least the pay scale for your job, plus flexi holiday pay. Your flexi income stays tax-free up to 18,440 euros a year.
Where you see the amount
The hourly wage is shown with every shift in the app. That way you compare a late shift with a day shift before you respond.
Student or flexi-jobber on the line?
| Student | Flexi-jobber | |
|---|---|---|
| Requirement | You are studying and at least 16, or 15 if you finished the first two years of secondary school. | You have a job of at least 4/5 elsewhere, or you are retired. |
| Maximum | 650 hours a year at reduced contributions. A summer on the line counts fully towards it. | No limit on hours. Tax-free up to 18,440 euros a year, with no ceiling for retirees. |
| What is deducted? | 2.71 percent solidarity contribution. | No social contributions for you. |
| Late shift | Under 18 you in principle don't work between 8 pm and 6 am. So check the end time. | Late and night shifts with no extra age rule. |
| Vegetable campaign | Lots of shifts in July and August, when you are on holiday. | In an evening or weekend shift next to your regular job, if the company works with flexi-jobbers. |
All the rules for 2026Rules checked on 7 October 2026.
How to start
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Step 1
Apply
Pick a shift in the app and tap apply.
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Step 2
Get accepted
The business picks you and your contract is ready.
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Step 3
Clock in
Arrive on time and clock in through the app.
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Step 4
Work your shift
You work and break when it's allowed.
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Step 5
Get paid
Clock out, your pay follows within days.
For shifters
A production job without experience
- You learn the work on the line on site
- See the shift, the site and the task in advance
- Plenty of shifts in July and August
For businesses
Packers and production workers for your line, per shift
- Post a shift per team and per line
- Extra people for summer and big orders
- Contract and declaration handled online
Frequently asked questions
From what age can you work as a production worker?
As a student you can start on the line from age 16, or from 15 if you have finished the first two years of secondary school. If you are under 18, you in principle don't work between 8 pm and 6 am, and some machines and tasks are not allowed for you. That is why a company sometimes puts a minimum age on the shift. A flexi-job is only possible if you work at least 4/5 elsewhere or are retired.
Can you work from home as a packer?
Not through AnyShift. The packing shifts in the app take place at the company's site, on a line or at a workbench. Ads for packing work at home often ask for money first for a starter kit or materials, and that is usually a scam. A real employer never makes you pay to be allowed to work. If you doubt an offer, first ask for a contract and the name of the company.
What does a production worker do?
You stand at a production line and always do the same part of the work: putting products on the belt, checking, packing or labelling them. At the start you get an explanation of your task and of safety on the shop floor. The work is quick to learn, but you do stand for the whole shift.
Do I need experience for a job on the line?
Not for most tasks. You learn sorting, packing and labelling in the first hour. Setting up a machine or fixing a breakdown is done by a regular operator. If you have worked in a factory before, add it to your profile so a company sees what you can do straight away.
Is working on the line hard?
It is mostly repetitive: you repeat the same movement for hours, sometimes in a cold or noisy hall. In a food company you wear a hairnet and sometimes an apron, in a noisy hall ear protection. Bring comfortable clothes to wear under the workwear and drink enough during the breaks.
How much do I earn as a production worker?
That depends on the company's joint committee, because every sector has its own minimum wages. That is why no fixed amount is shown here. As a flexi-jobber you get at least the minimum wage for your job in that sector, and your flexi-pay is tax-free up to € 18,440 a year. Pensioners have no ceiling.
How do I get to my shift at a factory?
Production companies are often on an industrial estate outside town, where not every bus stops. An early shift sometimes starts before the first bus runs. Check in advance how you will get there, by bike, by car or with a colleague, and state in your profile whether you have your own transport.
Ready for your first shift in production?
Download the app as a shifter or register your business for free.