Each year, graduates embark on the next phase of their educational or professional journeys. Graduation is more than a piece of paper; it can lead to long-term, fulfilling careers at employers like Domtar.
Domtar supports employees’ continuing education through tuition assistance, as well as apprenticeship programs and partnerships offered through some of our mills. Additionally, all employees have access to broad catalog of learning and development resources, including industry-recognized certification programs, through our My Knowledge Tree 2.0 portal.
“Domtar’s tuition assistance program is one way we help our employees grow personally and professionally,” says Cathy Donnelly, Domtar’s director of talent management. “Whether they are in a corporate or manufacturing role, we want to support our employees in achieving their goals in a variety of ways, including continuing education and company-sponsored learning and development programs.”
Tuition assistance is provided to employees in good standing for applicable courses at accredited educational institutions as part of Domtar’s financial assistance for education policy. While it does not cover all costs for many programs (up to 80% of tuition, but less than $5,850 per calendar year), the reimbursement defrays the cost of tuition, fees, and required books and software.
Carr is the general manager for Domtar’s Engineered Absorbent Materials (EAM) business. She has held a variety of positions in customer service, product management, marketing and operations since joining Domtar full time in 2005.
After receiving a Professional MBA with a concentration in marketing from the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina in December 2020, Carr was promoted first to senior director of marketing and product management and then, within the last year, to general manager of EAM.
“My undergraduate degree was in political science and English,” she says. “Since completing this [MBA] program, I have had more exposure to key projects and have also expanded my responsibilities.”
“I have a deeper understanding of business fundamentals and financials and was able to share my learnings with my team and help elevate the work that we did for Domtar and our customers.”
Two employees from the Ashdown Mill, Trevelyan Hodge and Jason Young, are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs.
Hodge graduated with his associate degree in business administration from Texarkana College in December 2022 and is on track to graduate with a bachelor of arts and applied sciences with a concentration in organizational leadership in fall 2024 from Texas A&M – Texarkana.
His 26-year journey at Domtar began as an hourly employee on a paper machine. He is now senior HR advisor at the mill.
“I decided to pursue my degree because it was always something that I wanted to do,” Hodge says. “My role when I started the program was CI engineer/training coordinator for finished products, and I was transitioning into an HR advisor role.”
“I was encouraged to pursue my degree by HR Manager Greg Hubby. Whether it is pursing the next level of your college degree or specialized training, Domtar has always been proactive in providing the training needed to be successful in my role.”
Jason Young, the Ashdown Mill’s health, safety and security manager, joined Domtar in March 2016 and is currently enrolled in a bachelor of science program through Columbia Southern University, where he is studying occupational health and safety. He expects to graduate in 2024.
“My hopes are that my degree will continue to promote the health and safety at the mill by giving me a broader view of occupational safety and more tools to apply at the mill,” Young says.
The Rothschild Mill’s paper mill business unit leader, Sherri Selting, recently celebrated her 25-year work anniversary. With Domtar’s support, she completed an MBA program at Lakeland University with an emphasis on project management in December 2018.
“I am a firm believer that continuing education and development is important for everyone,” she says “In 2014, I thought the time was right to start my MBA. I had a supportive family, friends and work environment that helped me achieve my goal over a four-year period.
“Obtaining my degree helped me grow both my project management and financial skills, allowing me to identify and assess risks more efficiently and better organize and communicate job plans for major outages and projects at Domtar.”
Carr says she appreciates Domtar’s support of learning and development. “I am committed to daily growth and Domtar has supported that growth with access to a variety of educational resources,” she says. “Access to tools like My Knowledge Tree is invaluable. I have participated in leadership programs, webinars and other classes. All those learning opportunities coupled with my extended learning through the MBA program have set me up for continued success.”
Join a leader in pulp, paper and packaging – Domtar is hiring in the U.S. and Canada.
