West Fraser’s class of 2024, Sam Oxborrow – Graduate Engineer

West Fraser, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of engineered wood-based panel products, is committed to “attracting and recruiting great people, and creating workplaces that are reflective of the communities we are a part of and where diversity in culture, experience and background are valued. The approach underpins our strategic objectives to attract, employ and retain engaged, talented and high-performing people, support better decision making, reach a broader pool of potential employees and maintain a more inclusive work environment.”  And here, in the second of a new series, we read the stories behind some of the young talent emerging today.

What first attracted you to the company?

I was first drawn to the scale of the operation here at Inverness. When given a tour of the mill, I couldn’t believe how much engineering was involved in creating a sheet of OSB. I immediately knew how much scope for learning there was. This partnered with the mentorship of experienced engineers made the role such an attractive prospect.

What’s been your career path and how did it happen?

During school, my best subjects were maths and physics. This led me to study Mechanical Engineering at Newcastle University. I spent one of my summers working as an operator in a food processing plant. While there are many differences to what I do now, the experience helped give me an earlier insight to the manufacturing industry. After graduating with a master’s degree, I joined West Fraser as a Graduate Engineer in the projects team.

What’s the best thing about your current role?/What is the most interesting thing you have gotten to work on so far in your time here?

The best thing about my current role is the variety of projects and engineering topics I am able to work on. Within the mill, there are a range of hydraulic, pneumatic and kinetic systems. These allow me to develop my skills across a multitude of engineering disciplines. My position has also given me a valuable insight into the lifecycle of a project as I am able to oversee designs from concept to installation.

The most interesting project I’ve worked on so far would have to be the configuration of a new finishing-end line. This allowed me to work with some fantastic engineers and opened my eyes to the unforeseen challenges faced when taking a design from theory to practice. Overcoming these challenges has expanded my problem-solving toolkit and equipped me to face more complex challenges in the future.

What do you hope to achieve at West Fraser?

During my time here, I hope to have a positive impact on the process and make the lives of those around me easier and safer. I aim to make the most of the resources available to me by getting involved in projects across every area of the mill and working with as many of my colleagues as possible during my time at the company.

Which of West Frasers core values do you identify with most?

Humility

Having joined the company as a graduate, my industry experience was limited. I have had to start from scratch in many areas of my professional skills and stepping into this role helped me to realise how much there is to learn. As I venture into new projects, the next challenge will most likely be different from the last. I welcome these opportunities for learning and understand that there are many more to come.

The manufacturing process here is too much for one person to understand entirely and so it is critical to recognise that everyone onsite is an important member of the team. I ensure everything I do enables me to add value to myself, and I help those around me to do the same.

For further information on the graduate opportunities on offer at West Fraser, please email  Graduates.UK@westfraser.com