laborer

millwright

loader operator

operations supervisor

senior accountant

Drax

There is the potential for this company to be great, pockets of strong leadership exist especially in Canadian Operations.  That said, the UK/US centric power structure informs advancement, communication, belonging, inclusion, performance, and more.  A focused majority in America (US viewed as the Center of the Universe; Canada is clearly second thoughts).  There is a clique at the top in north America and most of the popular kids are not Canadian - advancement comes accordingly.  Being owned by a publicly traded 
UK company; in many areas, but not all, they do not want decision makers they want followers.  You have to want to work in that kind of environment, its not for everyone.  

There is not a great deal of strategy about the work in Canada; mostly tactical (no matter what is written on the JD).  For many that is acceptable, just go in with your eyes wide open.  If that’s your jam sign up and get paid (very well).

Decision making is slow, mostly due to the requirements from the UK leadership, then goes through the US leadership, then Canada; this is not a nimble organization.  Local experts are often not consulted, US/UK typically know better (that humility piece again).  If you follow orders and don't object or push back you will be a good culture fit.  They aren't looking for disrupters.  This works for some people.   

There is an overall lack of accountability at the top.  

I started with Pinnacle in November of 2015. I had recently left a career of six years on a drilling rig in the Alberta oil patch to come home and be with my family. I started in an entry-level position after about two months with pinnacle I had a catastrophic snowboarding accident where I broke my femur in two. This moment was devastating as I had not yet completed my probationary period and was afraid of losing my position with pinnacle renewable energy. I was wrong; my first day in the hospital, I was assured by my plant manager and operations supervisor that this was not the case and that they would do there best to help me get short-term disability. I was not over my probation period; my manager and supervisor kept in touch with me through the healing process, and when I was ready to come back to work, they put me on light duty where I learned to operate the HMI (mill control center). This opportunity helped me gain some fundamental knowledge, and exponentially boosted my career. I have been with pinnacle for almost five years now. I would not go anywhere else. The values and culture here are more robust than I have ever seen in my working career. Pinnacle has supplied me with the tools to succeed through employee gatherings and all the training to be a successful leader. Currently, I am an operations team lead. I am now able to show the hard-working employees the same leadership and guidance as I was displayed. If you are looking for a career in a fast-paced, ever-growing company that focuses on there people vs. production, then pursuing a career with pinnacle is a great choice.

Small operation in a growing company, Very busy! Company has vision and continues to grow quickly, hires / transfers to other plants before hiring from outside, safety culture continues to develop, each plant has it's own culture but the company is committed to living it's values (see WorkSafe produced video on YouTube - collaboration helps pellet plant own safety)

Safety bonus, production bonus, employee share purchase plan, full benifits 

This is a company that continued to pay all it's employees wages when they were evacuated due to the forest fires around their plant in Williams Lake!

Safety here is a joke, they push there employees to achieve the unattainable, and if by some miracle we achieve it, there is zero recognition. I'm constantly stressed at work to the point where, when I'm on shift, I lose sleep over it and am on prescription sleeping pills. Management is pathetic and they know it, they have no regard for there employees and despite promises of grandeur, they never seem to deliver on the simplest improvements to the work environment. The list could go on and on, not to mention the things I can't mention due to the NDA were forced to sign.

A typical day at work, is something you should not expect while working for Pinnacle.  Priority`s change daily but one thing that you can count on each day/shift being consistent is the Owning Safety culture that the team at each site has and continues to build and grow.

The room for growth at Pinnacle, You will go as far as the effort you are willing to put in.  If you are top performer you will get many opportunities to advance to new and more challenging roles supported by the Pinnacle team.  

The job can be stressful, challenging and sometimes just plain hard work.  If you like to problem solve, think outside the box, and work with a team committed to being better everyday Pinnacle is the right place for you.

Since working at Pinnacle Renewable Energy (Part of Drax) I have been supported by my manager and received a promotion within a few months. I am always challenged and never bored. There are many opportunities for me to raise my hand and try something new. The leadership team is very open and the cross functional groups are very collaborative. The future is very bright and positive. 

Works here for a year then I left. Too many safety in fractions. New something was going to happen. And a couple months after I left it exploded due to fires. Management was a joke. One manager would always push for what the company wanted no matter what happened. We finished doing a shutdown and they started the plant back up but they never activated any of the fire suppression system. When it was brought to their attention I got in trouble for not knowing that they had locked the system out even though I wasn't on shift when they did it the other manager neglected his duties. Morale was running to the ground.

The emphasis on safety is extremely prominent everyday throughout the company. Most companies "talk the talk" by saying they value safety over production, but rarely do they actually "walk the walk".

Pinnacle is continuing to create a culture where employees are not afraid to speak their minds because they know their voices will be heard. This is a huge factor in why Pinnacle has achieved a high level of employee buy-in/engagement. 

It's amazing to feel cared for by every level of management at a company, but I truly feel that and I believe all levels of employees do as well.

A lot of data entry and compiling information. I have learned to compete purchase orders and how important it is to enjoy your job.
Management is still constantly changing for the Burns Lake plant, there isn't completely set structure yet. Being a male dominated plant sometimes it is hard to feel like part of the team.

Hardest part of this job is the politics involved with being the plant managers assistant and knowing when it is okay to disagree with the management to follow protocol. The most enjoyable part of this job is that is it Monday to Friday and I am done work by 3pm.

12 hr 4x4 shifts . 4 person crews . no extra staff for call in . the guys are all for the most part good to work with theres always gonna be some person in the group that no one gets along with no matter where you work .. I have learned to be flexible they change things alot there , like the conditions of employment . so we voted in a union to help aid us and guide us . the most enjoyable for me is driving my truck and not being at the mill love working outside year round and not being stuck inside

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Laborer 29 salaries reported	$32.72 per hour
Millwright 5 salaries reported	$51.29 per hour
Loader operator 4 salaries reported	$36.06 per hour
Operations supervisor 3 salaries reported	$97,333 per year
Senior accountant 1 salary reported	$107,500 per year

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