National Certificate in Plastics Processing Technology
Kayla Spyve has spent more than ten years working her way up in the plastics industry – and now she’s taken up the challenge to get qualified.
As a die-setter at Lane Plastics in Auckland, Kayla works across 16 plastic injection moulding machines that manufacture more than 1,000 products for 280 customers in New Zealand and overseas.
“I’ve always liked taking things apart and putting them back together, and this job is really hands-on so it suits me,” Kayla says. “I like the mental challenge and the physical challenge.”
In 2017, she completed the National Certificate in Plastics Processing Technology Level 2 and is now completing level 3.
Tackling bookwork doesn’t come easy to Kayla, as a teenager she poured her energy into playing football rather than school. “People who struggle with reading and writing shouldn’t think that they can’t achieve things like this. It’s more than possible, I know because I was ‘that girl’.
“You should have seen me when I got handed my level 2 certificate – it’s the first academic certificate I’ve ever had. I was jumping for joy.”
Kayla’s studies have reinvigorated her love for the job. “Five years ago I was just coming to work to do the same thing over and over again, whereas now I have my own set of jobs to do and I always have new challenges.”
Lane Plastics owner and managing director Tony Miller had been encouraging Kayla to get qualified for a while, so he was pleased when she was finally ready.
“Kayla’s got great attention to detail and is really good at planning ahead with jobs. As well as her die-setting duties, she looks after all of the raw materials and reminds me when stocks are getting low.”
Tony supports Kayla through her on-the-job learning and allows her time to complete her theory during work hours.