Alex Fletcher B.E in Electrical Engineering University of Canterbury Graduate Joined CHH March 2005

Kinleith Mill
I have been working for Carter Holt Harvey at the Kinleith Pulp and Paper mill for over a year now. I came up for the interview in 2005 and I was very impressed, I decided almost immediately to accept the offer of employment. Carter Holt Harvey offers a very generous relocation package for me as a new graduate. It was a huge benefit as I moved from the South Island to Tokoroa.

There are an enormous variety of processes and departments at Kinleith, so as a graduate you will eventually get exposure to them all. It offers a great learning environment to gain experience in many different aspects, which is greatly beneficial to developing a great engineering career start.

I am working as an electrical engineer in the projects division. My first project was assisting the upgrade of the Burner Management Control System on the No2 lime kiln. Now I am starting to be in charge of my own projects. The best part of the job is it is a mixture of hands on and indoor work, and not solely based in the office, so I get to see firsthand how the plant operates.

Tokoroa is a small place to live in but it has its advantages. It is in the central part of the North Island and is close to the lakes, geothermal areas, surf beaches and ski fields. It is also within one hours drive from Hamilton, Tauranga and Rotorua, and three hours from Auckland. The people are generally very friendly and the cost of living is very cheap compared to anywhere else in New Zealand.

It feels really great to be part of a huge internationally respected company such as Carter Holt Harvey.