Duo take career ladder to the top

A former apprentice and a graduate trainee have seen their careers progress and prosper, thanks to Russell Roof Tiles’ continued investment and dedication to nurturing skills and talent.

The leading roof tile manufacturer, which employs 160 people at its Lochmaben site and its two sites in Burton on Trent, has promoted 26-year-old Otto Mathiesen to Maintenance Manager and 25-year-old Kirby Charlesworth to Quality Assistant.

Otto originally started his career at Russell Roof Tiles as an Apprentice Maintenance Engineer in 2010. Then, he went on to complete a number of qualifications, including a NVQ Level 3 in Multi-Skill Engineering and a BTEC Level 3 in Electrical Maintenance Engineering, whilst at the firm. Otto is also currently undertaking an ILM (Institute of Leadership & Management) Level 3 Team Leader qualification.

Otto has been able to move up the career ladder quickly taking on a variety of roles such as Maintenance Engineer in 2013 and Production Supervisor in 2016.  Following the promotion, he is now responsible for a number of key areas, including stores management, budget control, risk assessments and the management of the maintenance team.

Otto said: “Thanks to the significant support from Russell Roof Tiles, I have been able to progress my career significantly and I’m honoured to be given the opportunity to help drive the company’s production facilities forward. I’m looking forward to applying the high standards of Russell Roof Tiles and working with an innovative team to manufacture high quality products.”

Previously an Operational Support Trainee, Kirby began working at Russell Roof Tiles in October 2017 after graduating from the University of Hull with a degree in Geography. Since then, he has undertaken both a SIKA Concrete Technology Beginner and an Intermediate course and the IOSH Managing Safely course. He has also recently been enrolled on an ILM Management Course.

Utilising his in-depth knowledge, he gained while undertaking his degree as well as his training at Russell Roof Tiles, Kirby’s new role means he is now responsible for ensuring each product meets Russell Roof Tiles’ high manufacturing standards and the British Roofing Guidelines. He will also work closely with the other operators to help improve their knowledge and understanding of the company’s products.

Kirby said: “The promotion felt great as my hard work has been recognised not only in my department but by the wider company. The new role allows me to build a better professional relationship with other key areas of the business, helping me to strive and develop even further within my career.”

Andrew Hayward, Managing Director at Russell Roof Tiles, said: “With a significant skills gap affecting the construction industry, we understand that significant investment in skills and talent is pivotal.

“Both Kirby and Otto have worked hard and taken every training opportunity presented to them. In doing so, they have been able to progress significantly in their career and have become a shining example of how our employees, with our support, can achieve their own goals. We hope many more employees follow in their footsteps.”