Just 2 years into his career with Essity in the UK, Alfie Ryder took some time to answer a few questions about his time as an Apprentice with Essity. Alfie is 19 and started with Essity in 2014 working at the Stubbins Mill in Manchester, UK,, where he began a position in the Essity Apprenticeship Program as a Mechanical Maintenance Apprentice. He describes his role as fun and challenging.

What made you want to join the Essity Apprenticeship Program?

After finishing school I was at a loss of what to do, I didn’t feel I was ready to go straight into formal education so instead I applied for an engineering apprenticeship with my local college. It was the college who actually put forward my application. I didn’t know anything about Essity prior to this but after a bit of research and seeing a paper machine, I knew it was a company and a career I wanted to be a part of.  

Describe the Essity Apprenticeship Program in three words.

Engaging, Challenging and Fun

What are the best parts of your job?

I enjoy how each day is different. I think it’s safe to say I’ve not had a single day the same as the last. It keeps me on my toes and interested in what I do.

What would you say to yourself a year ago if you could?

The biggest lesson I’ve learned over the last year that I wish I could tell myself is ‘Get your preparation right before you start working on a job because it will save you a lot of hassle down the line.’

Describe a normal day in the life of an apprentice:

Working in the maintenance department every day is different. But generally the day is started with a morning check of all mechanical equipment, followed by a daily departmental meeting. From that the day varies, whether it be working on planned maintenance jobs, machine breakdowns, continuous improvement projects or contractor management, it all just depends what the priority for that given day is.

What is next for you? 

I start the second and final year of my HNC in September, after that it is a final push to complete my apprenticeship and find a job within Essity at the site I’m currently working at or perhaps a different site. I would also like to further my qualifications and start a HND while my mind is still fresh with the theory work from my HNC. 

Thank you, Alfie, for your insights into the Essity Apprenticeship Program 

Fun Facts 

Name: Alfie Ryder 

Age: 19

Home Town: Bacup, Lancashire, UK 

Essity Location: Stubbins Mill , Manchester, UK 

Job: Mechanical Maintenance Apprentice 

Pain Point: 8am Monday morning starts!

Weirdest place you’ve seen an Essity product: Essity Tork dispenser a bathroom 3500 meters up a mountain.

Aspiration: Senior project engineer, overseeing large scale machinery installations & commissions  

What’s next: Final year of HNC Qualification 

This is part one, of a three-part series focusing on Apprenticeships within Essity. Essity has over 250 apprentices globally and getting firsthand accounts of career journeys during and after the apprenticeship program is crucial for us as an employer. Seeing Essity through the eyes of our employees allows us to understand how each career is as unique as the individual and what we can do to make Essity an even greater place to work.