DS Smith Paper’s Kemsley Mill has announced the graduation of the first Paper Technology Apprentices from its inaugural three-year apprenticeship programme.

The Paper Technology Apprentices joined the Learning and Development Programme at Kemsley Mill in 2014. Alongside practical experience at Kemsley Mill, the Apprentices studied at The Paper Centre in Gernsbach, Germany, which offers a higher standard of training than is currently available in the UK.

The graduating Apprentices will now progress into full-time roles within Kemsley Mill.

DS Smith is committed to sustaining and further improving the programme. Five more Apprentices are currently studying Paper Technology, with further recruitment planned for the future.

Glenn S Milgate, Operations Development Manager (People & Systems) at Kemsley, added: "The Kemsley Paper Technology Apprenticeship scheme offers a three-year programme in partnership with the Paper Centre at Gernsbach, where the apprentices attend courses 8 weeks per year. The aim of the programme is to produce skilled employees to replace those retiring from mill. The course covers the academic skills required for papermaking, from wood pulping to finished paper. As part of the programme, apprentices also perform practical placements within every area of the mill."