Scottish Ports - Workforce and Training
In this section:
- Policy Statement
- Personal Development
- Plant Training
- Safety Training
- Graduate Programme
- Business and Training Partnerships
Policy Statement
Scottish Ports believe competitive advantage is achieved through ensuring training needs are linked to business strategy. People make an important contribution to the running of the business and their development is central to the Scottish Ports’ success. We regard training and development as an important feature of Business Development.
Within the Scottish Ports’ policy, workplace training plays a key role in meeting skill demands. It is a continuous process supporting organisation development.
The programmes shown below are a selection of offering only. All programmes for internal candidates are agreed through the appraisal system, management review and assessment centre open days. Programmes are also available for external candidates and course details, dates and costs are available upon request.
Personal Development
The Scottish Organisation’s Management/Supervisory Development programme is provided by both in-house and external trainers to nationally recognised standards.
In-house training consists of Induction, specific Management Development Programmes and external training where employees achieve nationally recognised qualifications such as Foundation Degree: Supply Chain (Logistics and Operations Management) and the Diploma in Port Management.
Supervisors go through the Management/Supervisory Development Vocational Qualification (“VQ”) to Management Level 3/4. In-house programmes and specialist one off courses also supplement this programme and include Appointed Persons, Safe Cranes and Lift Supervisors training.
All Managers and Supervisors are trained in the IOSH 4-5 day Managing Safely course.
Port Operators are trained to Stevedoring VQ Level 2 and to date Scottish Ports has trained over 300 employees.
In Professional and Technical training, all professional staff including safety, personnel, training, engineering, marine and accounts staff are encouraged through their respective continuous professional development routes to receive regular updates as well as selected development courses.
The Scottish Operation also encourages apprenticeships and currently has four apprentices in training.
Plant Training
Due to the nature of the business a wide range of plant and equipment is involved which requires specialist training throughout the Scottish Ports. Fully qualified RTITB instructors carry out training internally, both on site and through the Scottish Ports training centre at Baltic House, Grangemouth. Throughout the last eighteen months 65 new operators have been fully trained in plant such as gantry cranes and straddle carriers within the Grangemouth operation and existing operators have been on refresher training courses in the more traditional heavy plant lifting equipment.
Safety Training
All employees are given a full safety induction on starting with the Company, where certification is checked and employees become familiarised with plant and equipment before being allowed to work in an operational environment.
All employees who are certificated are subject to a Continuous Assessment programme where each employee is assessed annually for competence in each particular category of plant.
Safety training is also carried out on a regular basis for updates on new legislation and for refresher safety training as required.
The Company launched a Safety Partnership initiative last year with our employees and the Trade Unions to promote greater safety within the ports industry. This involved the participation of 360 employees, London Metropolitan University, Unite and the Company’s Senior Management Team.
Graduate Programme
Scottish Ports employ a number of Graduates to meet their future needs in areas such as Operations, Management Information Systems and Finance.
We have excellent links with local colleges and universities where initiatives include providing work experience for international students and work placements for local colleges and schools.
Business and Training Partnerships
The training department is also involved with the Grangemouth Development Group (training sub group), which involves local companies INEOS, Pollimeri and Syngenta where the aim is to maximise the benefits of each company’s experience and identify common training needs.
Scottish Ports also plays a full role within Port Skills and Safety Ltd where the training department is involved at looking at the needs of the port industry as a whole.
