Inspiring the next generation to join Sappi in Europe

High-school students visit Ehingen Mill in Germany, for example, each year to learn how Sappi transforms trees into every day products that are both renewable and recyclable. In 2022, the school visit was focused on Sappi’s contributions to the bioeconomy with students constructing fully recyclable paperboard alongside Sappi R&D experts. 

During these visits to Ehingen and our other mills in Europe, students learn that at Sappi we make what we should, not just what we can. Exploring our high-tech facilities, they experience for themselves our relentless focus on innovating purposeful products and sustainability is at the very core of our business. 

Sappi’s apprenticeship programme is designed for young people whose interest has been piqued in paper science and engineering. Historically, we’ve offered the apprenticeship programme primarily at our four German-speaking mills. But we recently expanded the programme to our mills in Finland and Belgium. 

Typically, it involves three to four years of both classroom learning and practical skill-building in forests and Sappi mills. In Germany, the training to become a state-approved paper technologist is completed with a technical college entrance exam.  

In 2022 alone, Sappi trained and developed 225 young apprentices in Europe, and we’re confident that this number will grow. Why? Because studies show that young people want to work for companies that make a positive impact on the environment and contribute solutions to climate change. And that is exactly what they can and will do with a career at Sappi.