The skills approach
The newly appointed Head of L&D, Claire McKay, instigated a skills gap analysis to help shape the learning strategy. This had three core aims:
- To improve the quality and relevance of the training that was already available
- To identify topics where new programmes were required
- To increase the availability of the most relevant training. A particular concern here was that night shift workers were unable to access learning opportunities because few providers would offer sessions during their shifts.
The analysis was piloted in three teams, spread geographically. It included focus groups and one-to-ones to understand what skills the teams felt are currently needed in their area of the business and what they may need in the near future. The findings were referenced against existing data about the skills people had across Peel Ports Group, to see whether the same gaps existed in all locations.
Claire and her team built on these insights to develop clear role profiles, setting out the specialist skills and ‘power skills’ – what some might term ‘soft’ skills – required for safe operations today and effective growth in the future. This allowed them to identify where each team should prioritise learning and pinpoint gaps in the training offer.
As well as providing vital insight, this approach raised the appetite for training. Teams felt actively involved in the process and now, as new learning opportunities are made available, colleagues are eager to take them up.
‘We have a strong culture of learning because of the extensive initial training we provide, for safe and secure port operations,’ Claire explains. ‘But busy workloads and practical challenges, like the lack of providers willing to offer training to employees who work nights, mean that many colleagues struggled to access further learning. This approach is changing that, providing relevant training in an accessible way, and the demand has been huge.’
In fact, the demand has been so immediate, Peel Ports Group is already needing to determine priorities and focus on the changes that are currently happening within the working environment – like ensuring teams understand how to use artificial intelligence (AI) in safety checks.
The analysis also gave some insight into the reasons why the apprenticeships programme had not been as successful as hoped. Part of the reason was that it was not available consistently across all ports, which impeded employee mobility and career paths between locations. To address this, Peel Ports Group chose to become an employer-provider and bring apprenticeships in-house, as well as reviewing the programme content, with a focus on developing core skills faster, so that apprentices can then focus on the more rewarding experience of learning on the job. Peel Ports Group now deliver the Level 2 apprenticeship for port operatives themselves and are about to launch Level 4 for port marine operations officer.
“The approach has clearly shown that our people really want to stay with the business and want more training. The response has been so positive, it gives us the confidence that we can future-proof our workforce for the changes we’re seeing today and, by the end of our five-year strategy, become a skills-based organisation.”
Claire McKay, Head of Learning & Development, Peel Ports Group