Forth Ports hosted celebration events in Scotland and in Tilbury to recognise the achievements of their talented apprentices, recognising the value they contribute to the business, and acknowledge the skills they have developed throughout their journey.

The events celebrated and awarded 11 apprentices across the group who successfully completed their apprenticeships in the past year and who have now transitioned into permanent positions, adding to the business’s 95% apprentice retention record.

For the first time this year, two individual apprentices received a prestigious Apprentice of the Year award, an accolade that will now be given each year.

In Scotland, Callum Carr, 19, a former Falkirk High student, was named Apprentice of the Year. Callum began his journey with Forth Ports in 2023 as an Electrical Engineering Apprentice, working toward his qualification through Forth Valley College, which he is expected to complete in 2027. Callum exemplifies the core values of Forth Ports, consistently striving for success and serving as an excellent role model for his peers and future apprentices.

In Tilbury, Rebekah Inniss, 22, a former student of The Ockendon Academy, was awarded Apprentice of the Year. She began her career on the government’s Kickstart initiative working in the port’s reception in 2021. In 2023, she was offered a full-time position as a clerical assistant in Conventional and enrolled in a Business Administration Apprenticeship, which she aims to complete by June this year. Her hard work has made her an instrumental part of the team, exemplifying how the skills gained through these programmes can significantly advance your career.

Commenting on the apprenticeship programme Natalie Dalgleish, Head of Learning & Development said: “At Forth Ports, we recognise the transformative power of apprenticeships in unlocking potential, developing lifelong skills, and creating opportunities for growth. During our recent awards ceremony, we emphasised the crucial role that apprenticeships play in shaping careers and driving innovation within our business.

Apprenticeships are not exclusively for young people embarking on their careers; they serve as a valuable tool for individuals at any stage of their professional journey to upskill, reskill, and explore new opportunities.

At Forth Ports, we remain dedicated to nurturing talent through initiatives that equip individuals with the skills necessary not only for career success but also for personal development, contributing to the success of our business and the wider communities we serve.” 

Forth Ports has also launched its early careers campaign at an exciting time for the business as it continues to grow following a period of significant investment across the UK. The business needs a talented workforce and has 17 exciting early career roles available across their UK ports. This is their largest ever intake of Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) and despite a reported 31% decline in apprenticeship opportunities in the UK (source: CIPD*), Forth Ports remains committed to building its future workforce and upskilling the current team.

Forth Ports is seeking 17 Modern Apprenticeships and one graduate to fill roles which will provide skills for life to individuals working across their Scottish and Tilbury operations. There are a variety of roles including a newly create MA role in procurement. The MA roles available are:

• Port of Tilbury (12 roles) in operations, health & safety, procurement, marine and engineering.
• In Scotland, there are four MA engineering roles in Grangemouth, Leith and Dundee.
• The business also requires one Graduate to join the essential IT team in Scotland.

Closing date for applying is 10 March 2025. For more about careers at Forth Ports and the current vacancies, go to: https://www.forthports.co.uk/careers/