"If I was to give advice to someone looking for a management training position - it would be to highly recommend the invaluable training here at Portakabin. I was made welcome from day one, encouraged to voice my opinions and share my input every step of the way. I have discovered people I respect, enjoy working with and learning from and most of all, I feel valued for the role I play."

James Pearson - Materials Scheduling Manager, Portakabin

Amidst the busy team and department he heads as Materials Scheduling Manager at the Portakabin UK site in York, James Pearson is clearly as driven and impassioned as he was when he started as a Graduate Management Trainee in February 2005.

James recalls: "When I applied for the position at Portakabin, I was already very aware of the company and the regard in which it was held. I hoped that the training I would receive would be well structured and beneficial to my future - it has proved much more than that."

James studied for his degree in Mechanical Engineering at Sheffield University, a choice he says seemed a logical one given his interest and skill with maths and physics. After completing his degree, James took his first job as a Graduate Engineer for the Ministry of Defence.

"I was looking to work for an employer I could respect and the M.o.D. had an excellent training programme. But time spent in the role of a Civil Servant made me aware that what I really craved was a role in the manufacturing industry, so I looked at the alternatives.

"When I found out about the Management Trainee positions at Portakabin, I applied. I was encouraged by the schedule of training that offered the chance to work in a supervisory position, with responsibility and variety. I realised that Portakabin was a forward thinking company that I wanted to be a part of."

With each step of his training, James was forming a picture of what a career with the Portakabin Group would be like.

"The training was designed logically and took me through many of the departments that contribute to our end products. By the finish of my year as a Trainee, I felt very well prepared and had the experience I required to make an informed decision about my career path. My choice was to be involved in the logistics and supply side of the business.

"Although currently enjoying the important role my team and I play, I know that I have a long career ahead of me and that I may wish to reach into other aspects of our business one day. Fortunately, Portakabin continues to grow and offers me the flexibility I need to adapt my career right along with it... to where I want it to take me."

For further information about joining us as a Graduate Management Trainee here at Portakabin, get in touch and our team of helpful advisors will be happy to provide all the information you will need to help you make this important choice.