Academia at its best

Aimed at Metsa Tissue customers selling washroom products and those involved in Facilities Management and/or contract cleaning, the Academy provides an intensive day of Katrin training for small groups of people. The content is very hands on and along the way, attendees have the chance to practice using their knowledge information in a live, but non-customer environment.

"It is important to ensure that our customers have sufficient Katrin knowledge to be successful at promoting it effectively," Jo Long, Katrin Academy manager at Metsa Tissue, said. She added: "Their business is our business – this is what initiated the Katrin Academy and this is what drives it to continually evolve."

Although the Academy started as a pilot scheme, more than three years later, having held some 60 Academy sessions, and trained more than 300 people, the Katrin Academy has become a 'best practice training model' for other parts of Metsa Tissue across Europe. 

To create opportunities for young people in the region to get ‘work ready’, Katrin customer Source Supplies has also set up the Source Supplies Academy. The company will invite two year 10 students, aged 14-15, from each of the four secondary schools in its local community to a series of days working at Source Supplies. This is an opportunity for school students to experience the inner workings of a thriving business whilst picking up and developing life skills. 

Metsa Tissue's Mark Dewick said: "As a key supplier to Source Supplies, Metsa Tissue will be attending some of the sessions and contribute to the learning from a manufacturer’s perspective, adding value to the students' experiences. We will also be using our Katrin Academy teaching experience to help supplement the resource available to fulfil this valuable initiative."