Simon Wright, Technical Supervisor / Design Supervisor, South Island, has been working at Opal Kiwi Packaging in Christchurch for nearly 28 years.

Simon was offered a job at Opal straight after finishing high school. “I had three days off and then came in, saw the manager and I was offered a cadetship,” Simon said.

Simon started in the Converting department and then took a role in the Quality department. “I was pretty good at statistics, which gave me the opportunity to join the Quality team.

“From there I took a role with the Corrugator team, which was my first foray with the corrugator machine.”

Simon was promoted to Site Statistician and Production Coordinator and progressed to running the Quality Assurance department. “I was given the opportunity to work in the manufacturing side of the business and develop my leadership skills, while I managed a team of 30. This challenged me and was a great learning opportunity.”

Being with Opal for a long time means Simon feels a part of its history. “Having worked in various departments, you meet so many different characters – there’s a real mixture of people. Everyone is different. And it’s quite cool to see how people have different approaches to achieve the same outcome.”

The diversity of team members and their ability to achieve the best outcomes, no matter what has kept Simon inspired during his career.

“When you have great teammates, every day is a learning day. You meet new staff and try to share your knowledge with them and chatting with the more experienced staff, you can always learn, which I really do appreciate,” Simon said.

Thinking about a new career? Opal offers a range of exciting opportunities and unique roles across Australia and New Zealand. Visit https://jobs.opalanz.com/ to find out more.