James Tuck, aged 24, is a trainee production manager with James Jones & Sons, in Lockerbie, Scotland

“Working in a sawmill isn't something you'd normally associate with having a mechanical engineering degree, but a sawmill is just like any other production unit.

“I'm responsible for around 30 production staff, and for liaising with management and supervisors to make sure products are manufactured to schedule. I undertake risk assessments, look after health, safety and discipline, and I maintain the company's certification to the environmental management standard ISO 14001. The work varies each day and I like the flat management structure, which gives you responsibility and at the same time lots of opportunity to progress.

“Succeeding in manufacturing today is all about quality. Competition from eastern European countries brings cheaper products onto the market and the challenge is therefore to produce a reliably high quality product that customers will pay for.

“I see a strong future both for this industry and for our company as we also offer customers Forest Stewardship Council-certified timber, which proves the sustainability of the products. It's important to demonstrate our environmental credentials to customers.

“There's lots of expansion going on in the industry at the moment with the growth of sustainable building, and working in this sector would appeal to people with an interest in the environment as well as in their specialisation. Our company also has a good bonus and pension scheme and, despite the normal peaks and troughs of business, has a steady future ahead.”