PRINTITRESELLER.UK 45 With such a broad range of experience, from young professionals through to long-standing team members, we create a working environment where people can grow. That means supporting trainees, offering structured development paths, and staying flexible enough to let talent evolve with the business. Steve Pearce: We offer apprenticeship programmes through the Government Apprenticeship Scheme, with a number of employees across the business currently enrolled in these programmes. Recognising the need to give people a holistic view of the business, these cover diverse areas, including software engineering, cybersecurity and data analytics, all of which are important not just to print, but to everything else we do at Kyocera. In recent months, we’ve also taken on four T-Level business students from Reading College on six-month placements, where they come and spend one day a week at our offices. They do four rotations, getting experience working in sales, finance, operations and HR. The scheme clearly works, one of our students has just accepted a paid role in our ERP team! Danny Molhoek: In addition to investing in mentorship and upskilling across functions and departments, ensuring young talent can grow into leadership roles within a future-facing organisation, Lexmark partners with universities and professional organisations to offer internships and apprenticeships. As far as the latter is concerned, we engage in a multi-year relationship with students that allows them to experience the full variety of our business – from attending operational and customer meetings to participating in events and technology and product briefings. They take a deep dive and learn about our business from scratch, becoming real experts. Over the past two years, we have established a strong partnership with Sorbonne University in France, around their Master’s programme in E-Training, Communication Systems, and Media. As a sponsor, we are deeply engaged in supporting both the academic and professional development of students enrolled in this program. We actively contribute to the curriculum by working closely with faculty and students on tutored projects – a core component of the programme designed as a professional simulation. These projects challenge students to address real-world issues drawn from the fields of communication, media, and training. Our role as a commissioning partner ensures that students gain hands-on experience solving concrete problems, while we benefit from fresh perspectives and innovative solutions. This partnership reflects our long-term commitment to nurturing future talent and fostering meaningful connections between academia and industry and is a very engaging initiative that involves our entire French leadership team. Lexmark is also very active on social media, showcasing various facets and angles of our business in an authentic, engaging and fun way. The fact that print is so much more than hardware, that it’s at the forefront of the latest technology and trends is something that we also want to convey. Young talent is more attracted to companies that have a humane, respectful corporate culture and that place emphasis on the people behind their products. Conveying our colleagues’, partners’ or customers’ enthusiasm and passion for our products and solutions supports our attractiveness. Furthermore, we proactively encourage groups, such as Young Professionals @Work, where young colleagues get together for an open exchange among peers. Gillian Nuttall, ESG Partner, Konica Minolta: Attracting tech-savvy talent is crucial for innovation, competitiveness and sustainability. Our approach includes direct engagement through events like Girls in Tech and Young People in Print, showcasing our technologies and connecting with talent as well as driving engagement with targeted teacher training initiatives through local councils. We recently launched a work experience program for both school and college students, introducing them to various business functions and to equip them with valuable skills and insights into the corporate world. Additionally, we provide extensive apprenticeships and training programs to nurture young talent, including opportunities for existing employees to develop skills or transition within the company, and schemes to fill junior-level vacancies. Rebecca Rodger: Key is recognising that this generation is truly digital-first. To attract this ‘tech-savvy’ generation, employers need to meet them where they are and speak their language. That means going beyond traditional graduate schemes and embracing a broader early careers strategy. One that includes apprenticeships, vocational training, and direct engagement with schools and colleges. This generation is fluent in technology, but they’re also driven by curiosity, creativity and a desire to do meaningful work. Employers should highlight not just the tools or roles on offer, but the ‘why’ behind the innovation, impact and growth opportunities that come with working in modern industries like print. Equally, the platforms used to connect matter. TikTok, Instagram, and other social media platforms are now primary sources of information and inspiration for young people. Brands that use these channels effectively with authentic content and behindthe-scenes insights stand a far better chance of capturing attention. In short, attracting young, digitalfirst talent means showing up where they are, valuing what they bring, and offering clear, inspiring pathways into the industry whether or not they’ve taken the traditional route. www.papercut.com www.weareintuitive.com www.epson.co.uk www.utax.co.uk www.kyoceradocumentsolutions.co.uk www.lexmark.co.uk www.konicaminolta.co.uk www.ricoh.co.uk VOX POP Gillian Nuttall
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