28 | Tees Business
PICTURES : DOUG MOODY
Changing direction : Emily Clark gave up plans to study at Cambridge to start a civil engineering apprenticeship with PD Ports .
THE ONLY WAY IS
UP
Logistics the logical choice for PD Ports ’ new apprentice
Teesside student Emily Clark says experiencing the Tees Valley Logistics Academy at Stockton Riverside College convinced her to change plans to study architecture at Cambridge or Lancaster to instead start a civil engineering apprenticeship with PD Ports , one of the UK ’ s major port groups .
Emily says the academy “ opened my eyes ” to the exciting and wide-ranging career opportunities within the logistics sector while she was studying for A-levels at the college .
Group engineering manager ( civil ) Neil Dalus , the 18-year-old ’ s supervisor at PD Ports , believes there are “ no barriers ” to Emily progressing to become a member of the port authority ’ s leadership team in years to come .
“ We have put together a 10-year development plan that can take Emily all the way through to being a chartered civil engineer ,” he said . “ It ’ s really up to her how far she goes but I see no barriers to her progressing to our senior management team .”
Emily , who lives in Hartburn in Stockton , will undertake an apprenticeship at PD Ports which will include a part-time HNC course at Teesside University before continuing her part-time studies resulting in a masters degree in civil engineering .
Emily was studying A-levels and a BTEC at Stockton Riverside College when she took up the opportunity to combine her studies with the Tees Valley Logistics Academy .
Part of the college ’ s offering to make students career-ready , the academy exists to tackle the skills shortage within the logistics sector , a key part of the lifeblood of the Tees Valley industrial landscape .
Working in close partnership with employers including PD Ports , the academy offers bespoke training opportunities and helps raise awareness of opportunities within
Starting out : Emily Clark with PD Ports ’ Jim French ( centre ) and Neil Dalus .
the logistics sector .
Over 18 months , participants work with an industry mentor , experience workplace visits as an introduction to logistics and receive a four-week paid internship with a local employer .
Having learned much about logistics from her mentor , PD Ports ’ portcentric logistics director Jim French , Emily spent her internship within the company ’ s Teesportbased engineering department learning about the different disciplines .
“ After the four weeks , I really didn ’ t want to leave ,” recalled Emily , who was offered – and readily accepted – a six-year civil engineering apprenticeship with PD Ports .
“ I ’ m really happy to have joined PD Ports ,” she said .
“ The Logistics Academy opened my eyes not only to the opportunities within the logistics sector but the idea of progressing into employment via an apprenticeship rather than studying full-time for a degree .
“ There is no way I would have come to PD Ports without the experience of the Logistics Academy . It gave me real experience and knowledge of a port environment .”
Having enjoyed excellent results in her A-levels in Maths , Physics and Art together with a distinction in Music Technology BTEC , Emily knows there ’ s much work ahead to fulfil her career ambitions .
“ There ’ s so much knowledge here and so much to learn , while I ’ ll continue my studies on day release .
“ I ’ m convinced the apprenticeship can help take me to where I want to go but many students do see apprenticeships as second best . Too often it ’ s drilled into young people that full-time university is the only route , and that was my plan but I ’ d encourage other students to consider the Logistics Academy and see what else is out there .”
Neil Dalus added : “ The Logistics Academy is a two-way thing in that it can help companies such as PD Ports and other employers to retain the best Teesside talent while giving young people like Emily exciting career opportunities .”
Jim French agreed : “ If it hadn ’ t been for the Logistics Academy , we wouldn ’ t have