Hot off the Press: Smurfit Kappa News Press & O’Carolan College

Monday, November 28th, 2016

Collette Traynor, Environmental Health Safety Manager at Smurfit Kappa News Press

What school are you linked with and how long has this partnership existed?

Smurfit Kappa News Press has worked with Business in the Community and O’Carolan College, Nobber since 2012.

Outline a part of the Skills @ Work programme that stood out for you:

I carried out Environmental Health and Safety workshops at the school with the students. This allowed me to convey the importance of my role as EHS Manager in ensuring everybody goes home safe after a day’s work.

The students were also invited to our manufacturing Facility in Kells, Co.Meath which is a state of the art printing facility employing approximately 80 people. Being one of Ireland’s leading newspaper contract printers, printing many leading national and regional titles.

As part of the visit, I gave an Environmental Health and Safety induction and assisted in the plant visit which allowed the company to demonstrate to the students how health and safety is an integral part of our everyday business; both individually and collectively.

What do you feel you have achieved through the programme?

Being part of the programme means a lot to me personally being a former student of O’Carolan College and it was nice to be in a position to relay some of the stories and knowledge I have gained over the years as an EHS Manger. I would like to think the students got a sense of what can be achieved by hard work and dedication and the very important role the EHS Manger plays in the day to day running of a large manufacturing plant. One of our production managers, Stephen Farrell, agrees – “The best thing about the programme for me is the sense of fulfilment we get having the opportunity to help guide the next generation on their future career paths”.

Tell us in one sentence the best thing about your programme!

We are giving the students the opportunity to gain real life experience of what it is like in a working environment. We have committed again to supporting the programme in 2017 And I look forward to working with another group of young and enthusiastic students from O’Carolan College, Nobber.