Sam on top of the pack

By BRADLEY MARIORI
FROM a small village in Chuave, Chimbu, Justly Sam, 30, has become one of South Pacific Brewery’s best line managers through hard work, commitment and determination.
Sam, who is the packaging manager at SP Brewery’s Lae facility, recently went on a short assignment in Sri Lanka in 2018 and was trained along with nine other packaging supervisors and managers on the packaging processes.
“I was in Sri Lanka for eight months where I trained the supervisors and managers of Lanka Brewery and I also learnt a lot from them,” Sam said.
“I taught them skills and knowledge and also focused more building competency levels for the new graduates in Sri Lanka. We were all part of the Heineken group.”
Sam said Heineken had standards for team leaders and so he went to Sri Lanka to train team leaders to meet those standards.
He said it was a unique experience and he was exposed to working with people from different backgrounds.
“Communication was a challenge but at the end of the day, we all are working for a common goal.
“We also help each other to adopt, blend and come up with best ways to approach life.
“Some things we discussed and shared was not only about work but also helping ourselves in our personal life and then how best we can contribute towards the company,” Sam said.
He said the Heineken values had bound them all together and at Lanka Brewery, there were Arabs, Indians, Sri Lankans and others who all came together as one Heineken family.
Sam said it was a two-way thing during his time in Sri Lanka and that was to give training and he also learnt something which he brought back with him.
“I have learnt many things which will help further my career with the company,” Sam said.

“ I taught them skills and knowledge and also focused more building competency levels for the new graduates in Sri Lanka. We were all part of the Heineken group.”

Sam started his primary education (grades 1-8) at Agugu Primary School in Sohe and then went on to Yawe Moses Secondary where he did his grades nine to 12 from 2003-2006.
He was selected to University of Papua New Guinea where he did his bachelor of science (majoring in chemistry) from 2007-2011.
Sam gained employment at SP Brewery in 2012 as a graduate trainee.
In 2014, he was appointed as the packaging supervisor and then in 2017, he was appointed as the packaging manager.
His advice to others is to have the right behaviour and attitude because it determines success, keep focus and consistency and make commitment and be consistent in it.
“If you don’t have the right behaviour, this will never work,” Sam said.