He was then taken on at the mill as a causticising assistant, going on to become a process engineer, complete his Bachelor of Business Studies degree and gain a diploma in pulp and paper manufacturing.
Peter's talent, qualifications and enthusiasm were recognised by Norske Skog and, after gaining experience in roles from groundwood mill superintendent to production manager, he was whisked to the group's head office in Norway in 2001 as its senior continuous improvement advisor.
He describes this move as one of the greatest challenges he has overcome during his career.
"I was leaving what was known and familiar behind to take on something somewhat unknown and unfamiliar. In hindsight, the transfers were very beneficial to my development. However, at the time, it was certainly challenging and it was very difficult to take my wife and four girls away from their grandparents, friends and family."
Peter stayed with head office for two years, working in mills across Europe and South America, before coming back to Australasia as the regional development manager in Hobart.
In 2005, he came back to Kawerau again to project manage a $30 million upgrade of two machines and close one paper machine down. That led to a range of roles, culminating in his appointment as general manager in January this year.
He says the newsprint industry is facing some demanding times and his challenge, as general manager, is to maintain Tasman's place as a large employer in the community by bringing everyone together to work on the "things that matter most".
"For every person we have employed in the mill, there are another six in the Bay of Plenty who derive the majority of their income from the mill. If we had to close a machine down, that would mean a loss of 600 jobs. If the mill was to shut down, that would be more than 1500 jobs lost."
Peter says there are no great expansion plans for Norske Skog in Kawerau - the focus is on survival.
"It is about making the decisions that need to be made so as many people can stay employed for as long as possible in this very tough business environment."
There is an oversupply of newsprint globally and input prices for labour, wood, energy and chemicals continue to rise.
"In real terms, the price we get for our newsprint is declining. The challenge for us is to be as low a cost as possible so the mill can remain profitable."
So, what has Peter learned in his journey to the top job?
"People can do the most amazing things when given the opportunity. A leader's job is to find the key that unlocks the talent within a workforce and unleashes this to contribute to the business results."
He advises anybody with management aspirations to take notes and ask questions.
"Be open when you make mistakes, embrace every opportunity and, no matter how hard it gets, remember it is good to have a sense of humour and to have a laugh."
He believes people make their own luck through hard work, having the courage to take on challenges and using data to support their decisions.
"Lots of people try to use position power and/or experience, which can often be flawed."
