It aims to equip candidates with the skills needed to start a career in any logistics operation and to give them more confidence in job interviews.

The first two successful candidates to gain a place on the 12-week programme are 18-year-old Courtney Pippen and Ben Landers, 17.

Based at Antalis in Bristol, with two weeks at its head office in Leicester, the young men will be introduced to all aspects of the day-to-day running of the firm including HR, sales, marketing and logistics as well as comprehensive fork-lift training.

Antalis UK operations manager at Darren Morrish said: “It is a logistics internship but is heavily skewed to paper and print. In Leicester they will see the bigger picture, it will give them a chance to see everything.”

The paid internships are jointly-funded with Antalis paying the wages and Stephens & George paying for the participants’ accommodation. Antalis is hoping to offer the internships regularly and develop them further in the future.

Antalis group trading director Andrew Pendrigh used his role as a trustee of Stephens & George to present the opportunity to the other trustees, which led to the collaboration.

Stephens & George Print Group founded The Stephens & George Centenary Charitable Trust in 2012 to mark 100 years of British printing in Merthyr Tydfil and the South Wales Valleys.

It provides practical help and support to local people and aims to increase community participation and create opportunities to develop skills.

A spokesperson from the trust said: “It is part of Stephens & George’s corporate social responsibility policy driving the need for a charity that directly impacts on our community where the majority of our staff live.

"Perhaps more companies should be looking at creating the same and as a consequence, reinvesting in their futures.”