Jeanine Maindron, head of people & culture at Port of Aberdeen, highlights the crucial role of the port’s workforce in its continued growth and success, and explains the steps the organisation is taking to maintain its position as an employer of choice in the region.
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What careers are available at Port of Aberdeen?
People are often surprised at the breadth of careers in the ports sector. Keeping Scotland’s busiest port operating safely 24/365 requires civil engineering for structures, mechanical engineering for equipment, electrical engineering for facilities, operational expertise in line handling, water provision, and plant operations, and an expert marine team to safely manage 7,000 vessels every year.
Supporting these areas are health, safety, environmental and quality functions, and technology to manage systems and equipment. In the office, there are many opportunities in enabling functions such as finance, legal, contracts and procurement, property management, communications and marketing, and people and culture.
How do you engage the younger generation to consider careers in the ports sector?
Our purpose is “to create prosperity for generations,” and we take this seriously by supporting young people in local communities and encouraging them to pursue careers with us.
We collaborate with DYW North East and are signed up to the Young Person Guarantee. This work includes offering Foundation Apprenticeships to local school students and work experience placements for young people to experience the port’s working environment. In the past year, we have provided four internships for university students and recent graduates, ranging from eight-week to full-year placements.
How does Port of Aberdeen ensure a safe and healthy work environment for employees?
Health and safety is a priority for Port of Aberdeen and we’re on a journey to creating a Zero Harm culture. Everyone is empowered to stop the job and raise issues in a positive and constructive way. Management at all levels and dedicated Employee Safety Representatives conduct regular safety tours to identify good practices and areas for improvement. Our safety representatives provide feedback and suggestions for improvement to our Health and Safety team.
We take employee wellbeing very seriously. In addition to our excellent employee wellbeing benefits, we also have four qualified mental health first aiders on-site, and our team has access to the Thrive wellbeing programme, which offers activities, events, and informative sessions aimed at supporting and enhancing employee wellbeing.
What can career progression look like when working at Port of Aberdeen?
Port of Aberdeen is a great place to start or progress your career. In 2023, nine colleagues were either appointed to internal roles or promoted. We actively encourage upskilling and self-development through our performance review process to ensure our team is prepared to move within the organisation. We have team members who started as school-leavers or apprentices and have continued with us in permanent positions.
What would you say to someone considering a career in the ports sector?
If you’re considering a career at the port, you’ll find exciting and diverse roles and no two days are the same. You don’t need a background in maritime for many of the roles and we employ people from all different backgrounds and experiences. This variety enriches our team and makes the port an interesting and dynamic place to work.
Why is Port of Aberdeen a great place to work?
The culture at the port is crucial for me. People get to know each other well and it’s a fun place to work.
We are an integral part of the local community, collaborating with local businesses and residents to ensure our work positively impacts them. We engage with local projects, charities, and community groups, and providing support brings our team great satisfaction.
As the organisation grows, the port is becoming an even more exciting place to be, with a promising future and expanding opportunities.
To find our more about careers visit the Port of Aberdeen website.
