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Smurfit Kappa offer vocational placements
With unemployment on the increase over the past couple of years and many people desperate for work during the economic downturn, it has become increasingly difficult for recent school-leavers and graduates to find work and each year the competition grows.
With so much competition out there experience is a major factor which employers look for. However, finding relevant experience is not always easy for students but the benefits of work experience is great for companies as well as individuals which Smurfit Kappa has demonstrated.
Smurfit Kappa SSK is part of Smurfit Kappa Paper UK, a division of the Smurfit Kappa Group, which in turn is a world leader in paper based packaging and is dedicated to delivering innovative, cost effective solutions to meet the changing needs of customers.
Smurfit Kappa SSK, which employs 110 people, works closely with customers so that they can understand the unique challenges they face and add value whilst often taking out cost. This customer driven approach has enabled Smurfit Kappa to develop long term relationships with some of the UK’s leading brand owners and manufacturers and the papermaking facilities of Smurfit Kappa Paper UK supplies the majority of the paper used within the group’s UK operations. Regional recycling plants collect and distribute both our own and our customers’ recovered fibre for recycling within the paper mills.
In 2008 Smurfit Kappa SSK decided to offer vacation placements to undergraduates. The vacation employment provides experience to students whilst at the same time helping Smurfit Kappa SSK resource some of the work they need to carry out projects but at the same time enabling them to establish links with universities.
Paul Freeman, Operations Director at Smurfit Kappa SSK has used links with the University of Birmingham over the past couple of years to take on undergraduates.
“I originally graduated from the University of Birmingham but besides that, they have been very proactive and imaginative in establishing several areas of common interest to develop and work on. The cooperation between the University of Birmingham and Smurfit Kappa SSK has enabled final year design projects to be undertaken, it has provided a lecturing opportunity for myself, post graduate research opportunities, vacation employment and involvement in research symposiums. Other universities that we have EPSRC funding projects with are Manchester, Cambridge and Aston in conjunction with PIRA (Paper Industry Research Association).
Taking on graduates can be a difficult process but as yet, we at Smurfit Kappa SSK have only really offered short term vacation work. The actual interview, job offer and induction process is straight forward, however students can be unprepared for the commitment required to see a placement through to its conclusion.
We have about 10 applications each year and whilst the degree is important, other qualities such as ability to team work, be self motivated, innovative and willing to enter fully into working life are taken into consideration. In fact this year we chose to take on a first year student who was able to demonstrate those qualities in interview and we make it quite clear that they should be willing to ‘get their hands dirty’ with the process!
The two undergraduates we have taken on since starting the link have been Chemical Engineering graduates as chemical engineering teaches students about processes and is therefore quite multi-disciplinary and the subject lends itself well to the Paper making industry.
There is no strict certain learning programme that the graduates follow once joining Smurfit Kappa SSK as they’re only with us for 3 months, however they do have a basic week induction period. The placement is more about offering students work experience than defined learning programmes and the graduates so far, have adapted well to the working environment as there are lots of interactions going on between individuals and departments. We fully encourage the students to be part of this process and we try to ensure that their work is meaningful and benefits both the business and them individually.
Permanent employment is not the end result but of course if there is a position suitable when they become available and they have proved themselves worthy they will be looked on very favourably.
Graduates bring computer skills, software knowledge, fresh ideas and a different approach to problems and the benefits we have noticed have been in the progression of projects, employment within SSK for one graduate in the past, links into the University resources and research work that we wouldn’t have otherwise had the resources to do.”
For more information or to learn how you could take on vocational workers or apprentices please contact Proskills on 01235 833 844 or at info@proskills.co.uk