Kathryn and Jennifer are making history
Last updated 15:53, Wednesday, 05 March 2008
WEST Cumbrian teenagers Kathryn Higgins and Jennifer Pyne have a dazzling career ahead of them with Alcan Packaging Cumbria, where they have made history as the firm’s first female apprentices.
The pair, trainee print technicians at the Salterbeck site, began training in September last year and have not looked back.
Kathryn and Jennifer are both with training provider GEN II but began their time with Alcan with very different backgrounds and for very different reasons.
Kathryn, from Cleator, attended St Benedict’s Catholic High School and went onto the sixth form centre where she studied French, sociology and philosophy and ethics for six months.
“I managed it for a little while but I think it had come to the point where I was just sick of studying and was looking for something else to grab my attention,” Kathryn, 17, said. “So I applied to university to train as a nurse and in the space of applying I saw an advert for GEN II; it looked interesting and I began making enquiries. There were two areas which attracted my attention, training in control systems for the nuclear industry or printing, which to my surprise GEN II offered as an apprenticeship.
“I applied and was accepted to train in both areas so I had to make a decision. But I had been told there were few women employed in printing and the industry was looking to attract more females into the role, so I think this made me determined to be one of those few.
“I loved the idea of hands-on work and learning on the job so I couldn’t wait to get started. I knew of someone who also trained and worked at Alcan and they really enjoyed it here.
“They gave me an idea of what to expect but I made an appointment to look round the plant and was pleased I did as I got a shock when I was first shown round; everything seemed so big and the machinery looked so complicated.
“But everyone was very friendly and the atmosphere was great. All in all I visited the plant three times before I started, one of which was my induction.”
The apprenticeship, which will continue for the next three years, began with a basic induction period where Kathryn was introduced to plant machinery and the health and safety issues involved with it. It was at this stage that Kathryn met Jennifer another female starting her apprenticeship with Alcan.
“I was so relieved when I found out there was another girl on the course,” she went on. “And when I met her she was really nice and a little relieved I would be training with her; it’s daunting going into a male-dominated environment. But for the first few weeks we spent in the training suite. The NVQ in Printing is ongoing throughout the apprenticeship, some of which is done over the internet – online learning.
“We have also been down to Leeds College on block release where we have two two-week studying periods and one week towards the end of the year. It’s a good experience to learn somewhere different but it makes me appreciate being an apprentice even more.
“At Leeds we’re shown different printing techniques and reeling, basically all the various methods of printing. We are the only girls on the course there, too. When we’re back on site here we spend half a day a week in the training suite. I really enjoyed starting the role almost straight away; putting reels on and off and filling up the ink buckets. It’s a form of learning which is perfect for me, whilst I work. I love it here – it’s the best decision I’ve ever made; I definitely plan on staying in printing. It’s certainly a career girls should consider.”
Jennifer Pyne, 16, left Stainburn School and took employment at Iggesund Paperboard for the summer break. Her role involved stores work, signing for packages and locating stock.
She enjoyed her time there so much she made the decision to undertake an apprenticeship and began making enquiries into various courses at Lakes College. “I initially saw a plumbing course at college which caught my attention,” Jennifer, from Workington, explained.
“But I also went to a careers event and made enquiries with the representatives on the Alcan exhibition. I found out that there were endless opportunities at Alcan and I could train as an apprentice through GEN II.
“I really liked the idea of hands-on work as I’d loved my time at Iggesund during the summer and it was from that I made the choice to pursue an apprenticeship. So I then went onto make enquiries with GEN II and found out about the printing apprenticeship.
“After I applied and was told I had been successful I was so pleased; I couldn’t wait to get to work. Then when I was shown round and found out there was another girl going to be starting with me I was not as nervous. When we met we got on well together, which was even better.
“I enjoy getting up and going to work every day, which is so important. It’s a really different career for a girl to be in but I know I made the right choice; I love the reaction I get when I tell people I’m an apprentice printer but it’s not something which should put other girls off.
“All the team are really helpful and very supportive; it’s a great environment to be in and the work is really interesting, there are so many skills needed in printing. People don’t realise what is involved in producing packaging, even something like a crisp or chocolate bar wrapper.
“When we have had to spend time in Leeds for our block release it has been a great experience but it’s made me realise I made the right decision to take an apprenticeship, university life doesn’t appeal to me. I can learn and earn whilst doing my apprenticeship.
“I definitely plan to stay in printing for quite some time yet and I would recommend it to girls who enjoy hands-on work or learning in a work environment. There are plenty of opportunities to get into a career like this.
“More and more girls are showing interest in apprenticeships and it’s something they should be determined to succeed in; most of my friends wished they had taken the same route as I have.”
