Mike was working at a hospital when he decided to look for a career in industry. He saw an apprenticeship with Pittards and although he didn’t know what it would entail, he thought the leather industry sounded exciting and could offer what he wanted. His first impression was that it was busy, technical and interesting.

He has now been with Pittards for 35 years and has worked his way up from unskilled apprentice to Reducing Supervisor. He is responsible for the reduction of the thickness of the leather to make it suitable for its end application, such as gloving leather. This is a highly skilled job which involves reducing the thickness to fractions of a millimetre. Once done, it cannot be redone so errors can lead to significant losses for the company. It is therefore, important that it is done properly so there is considerable responsibility resting on his shoulders.

Mike also has to plan the department’s schedules to ensure that they overlap with other departments in order to ensure maximum efficiency. This keeps his mind buzzing as there is always lots to do but he enjoys the challenge and being busy and also the responsibility of looking after a team of 15-20 workers.

Mike left school with few qualifications but since joining Pittards, has successfully completed vocational and supervisory qualifications. He believes that the industry can offer a job for life, with plenty of opportunity and variety, and that there is a good career to chase for those that want it.