º£½ÇÊÓƵ

A Derbyshire chemicals firm has said it is taking on more students because it believes the company benefits from working with “bright young minds”.

Lubrizol, which has its º£½ÇÊÓƵ headquarters at Hazelwood, near Belper, has expanded its student placement programm and just taken on 34 undergraduates from a host of universities for the next 12 months, the biggest intake of placement students it has ever hosted.

They have been recruited from both Nottingham universities, as well as Derby and Leicester and universities elsewhere across the country and have been put to work in position all across the company.

Twenty-eight students are based at Hazelwood, with a further six based at its site in Blackley, Manchester.

The company has created a new student role within its mechanical testing department and other students are working in a wide range of departments, including human resources, chemistry, finance and procurement.

The students are all in the third year of their degrees but, although they have never worked in a business setting before, Lubrizol is ensuring they are challenged and encouraged to make as full a contribution as possible.

Among this year’s intake is Amy Turner, who is currently studying an International Business degree at Nottingham Trent University and is working in Lubrizol’s global communications department.

She said: “I applied specifically for Lubrizol Hazelwood because I’m from the area and I knew it would be a good place to learn and develop academic skills in the workplace.

“I have already been carrying out a wide range of tasks, many of which I didn’t expect and are beyond the business-type responsibilities.