Industry is one of the sectors where skills are still sometimes acquired on the job, allowing employees to develop. Anthony Mechain started at the bottom of the ladder at Plastipak and now manages a team of managers.
« I only had a small CAP in machine driving when I started ” smiles humbly Anthony Mechain who joined Plastipak in 2007 as an operator. Before joining the Sainte-Marie-la-Blanche site and the team of 135 employees, Anthony Mechain worked in a wine house. ” I wasn’t passionate about school and industry offered me accessible opportunities. “At 40, he is now the UAP extrusion workshop coordinator and presents himself as the guarantor of the process in the extrusion workshop. This operation aims to transform recycled plastic flakes into granules so that they then become new plastic bottles.
At Plastipak, the coordinator is thriving, particularly appreciating the process. It’s a long part to learn, it’s very technical. We learn every day because the equipment reacts differently. “Now at the head of a team of five coordinators, themselves team managers, he appreciates this managerial approach.” We are working to seek continuous improvements to limit work stoppages, improve the working conditions of teams, gain in ergonomics, avoid physically difficult tasks by considering automation. This work requires time and budgets. »
Between received ideas and reality
The industry has given Anthony Mechain the opportunity to grow professionally. In charge of part of the recruitment, he receives profiles from all backgrounds and understands some preconceived ideas about the sector. Working in a position is not always easy, but industry can be a real springboard. And then, it depends on the company. At Plastipak, we’re pretty good. You can grow in the industry. “The forty-year-old also emphasizes the unknown that punctuates his work as much as the new things that can happen.” There is a routine in the process but the unexpected in humans or with machines. And then, when new lines are set up, it is a challenge to take up! »
Without claiming a certain pride, the employee considers it rewarding to contribute to designing an everyday product, even one made of plastic. We need to explain what we do here, that we recycle a lot. The problem does not necessarily come from the bottle but from the use we make of it and the fact of throwing it anywhere. »
Nadège Hubert
