Forth Port’s Chief Executive Charles Hammond was joined last week by apprentices, graduates and Skills Development Scotland for a ‘turf-cutting’ ceremony to mark officially the start of construction of a new, purpose built training academy located within the Port of Grangemouth, Scotland’s biggest port
Following a tender process, Bathgate, Scotland-based CM Steel Buildings Ltd has been appointed to design and build the academy, with completion expected at the end of this year.
The academy is being built to ensure that the right skills are in place to support the future growth of the business and sustainability of the ports, as well as providing opportunities and flexibility for employees to broaden their skills and enhance their careers and job satisfaction.
Charles Hammond, Group CEO, was joined at the event by Forth Ports’ 11 apprentices and three graduates along with Kristine Hale, Employer Services Manager from Skills Development Scotland.
The 420 m2 training academy will provide additional in-house facilities for equipment skills training and new classrooms for safety and soft skills programmes – as well as expanding the existing training and education offering to customers and tenants.
Forth Ports describes the academy as a key strategic investment in its long term focus on skills, qualifications and personal development for all employees across its Scottish operations including the Ports of Dundee, Leith, Rosyth and Grangemouth. Forth Ports also has an award winning Logistics Academy located at its port in London Tilbury.
During last month’s “ports and Brexit” conference in London organised by Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum, Mr Hammond stated that productivity in UK ports has increased by 10-20% across the board in the past five years, while skill sets have increased by 25% in the same period, even though overall volumes have not changed much.
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