Sam McCloskey and Ben Williams have just joined SCA Recycling on its management trainee scheme. The two year scheme gives trainees the opportunity to experience and gain a broad understanding of all aspects and operations of the business by working on four placements in different parts of the company.
Here we chat to Sam and Ben to find out a bit more about them:
1. What qualifications do you have?
SM: I have a BA (Hons) in History and hold a qualification in first line management.
BW: I have a Masters in Environmental Protection and Management and a BSc (Hons) in Rural Resource Management.
2. Where have you started your placement and what are you doing?
SM: I am spending the first three months out in the yard getting to know the material grades, the people and how the depot and processes function from start to finish. I will then learn behind-the-scene office processes, such as weighbridge delivery notes.
BW: I am working in West Bromwich working as a multi-skilled operative which includes bin tipping and general housekeeping.
3. When did you become interested in the environment?
SM: I have always had a fascination and remember watching a David Attenborough-style documentary at school about the dangers of not recycling and the harm of landfill. It could be said that I had a ‘light bulb’ moment, where I wanted to make an impact in changing the amount of recycling material that could be saved from landfill.
BW: I became interested in the environment when I was about 15, when working towards the Duke of Edinburgh award and managing environmental resources at school. I was also encouraged by my parents to go to the Scottish Agricultural College.
4. What made you want to work in the environmental industry?
SM: I’m interested in the way we can alter the impact of waste, by treating it as a resource and re-using materials, which in turn helps to preserve primary materials. Everyone is more aware of the positive side of recycling and the industry can only go from strength to strength.
BW: I wanted to work in the environmental industry because I feel it is important to present and future generations. I enjoy being outside and learning how I can be a part of protecting the environment.
5. What do you like about working for SCA Recycling?
SM: The staff at Charlton have been very welcoming, to the extent where I feel I have been here for longer than a month. Through this scheme there are a lot of opportunities, such as learning how to drive a clamp-truck and a JCB. Having the chance to go to each department to see how each one works is an exciting prospect for what I will learn and experience.
BW: I like working for SCA Recycling because I feel that it will provide me with good career prospects, meet new people and give me the opportunity put into practice what I learnt on my degree. I’m looking forward to learning new skills, such as driving fork lift trucks, and being part of an expanding company.
6. How should we get consumers recycling more?
SM: I believe hard-hitting advertising of the positives of recycling and the negatives of not doing so. This would increase awareness and hopefully get the population taking more care when they throw away materials. We could decrease household waste bin collections while increasing recycling collections, which would force residents and companies to recycle more.
BW: We should get consumers to recycle more by providing an incentive for them to recycle and give them something back, such as a percentage of the new packaging, once the recycling has been completed.
7. What one thing would you change about the waste/recycling industry?
SM: I would improve awareness of recycling, either through marketing or advertisement. I believe recycling should be ‘more in your face’ where it’s so obvious that the population cannot ignore it. Awareness is increasing but a collective effort from everyone will improve our environment.
BW: I would decrease the amount of waste going to landfill.
8. Which person has done the most to promote environmental issues and why?
SM: I would say the government and the media have contributed a good proportion. They have highlighted the dangers of landfill, stressed that recycling can help sustain the country and the planet.
BW: My university lecturers as they helped me to further understand the theory behind recycling and the different parts and issues in the industry.
9. What do you see as the biggest environmental challenge over the next five years?
SM: I would say by far the biggest challenge that we face is getting the majority of the population to recycle, to get them to realise the physical and environmental impact that non-recycling has.
BW: The biggest environmental challenge over the next five years is trying to provide the worlds’ electricity supply through renewable energy.
10. How do you relax?
SM: I relax by playing football with friends, and have recently joined a SCA employee football team. I also like going to the gym, catching up with friends or just relaxing at home.
BW: I relax by going to see friends, playing rugby, watching TV/films, going to the cinema – just living like any 22 year old.
11. Who would you invite to a dinner party and why?
SM: A hard question, but I would say Stephen Fry, just because he knows everything there is to know, it would be interesting to recognise how much information his brain can hold. I would also have Lee Evans, because he would bring that little bit of comedy to the party.
BW: Johnny Wilkinson as he is a rugby icon, Barack Obama, for being the first black American President, perhaps someone like Megan Fox, Jeremy Clarkson, because I love Top Gear, and Gordon Ramsey or Jamie Oliver as I love food.