Year 9 pupils learn more about careers in the Maritime sector

On Monday 13^th June a number of Year 9 pupils visited the Maritime Engineering College North West in Birkenhead to learn more about the maritime industry locally. Pupils undertook interactive sessions, including a maritime enterprise game, and a business simulation. Pupils took on a variety of roles including logistics managers, freight forwarders, custom and excise officials, international finance officials and lawyers to learn more about what is required to get goods from one side of the world to the other. Pupils enjoyed the experience, and felt it gave them an insight into the skills required to work in the industry.

 The Maritime industry is vital to our local economy. The creation of the SuperPort is part of the wider North West Atlantic Gateway Strategy. By integrating the Mersey Ports, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, the Mersey Multi Modal Gateway in Halton, which handles over 100,000 containers a year it is expected that the SuperPort will create up to 28,000 new jobs – many in process, plant and machine operatives, but with significant opportunities for managers and senior officialstoo.

Logistics is at the heart of the SuperPort project. The efficient flow of stock between bases is essential to the profitability of an organisation and managers are constantly looking at how to improve efficiency andreducecosts.

Working in logistics requires people to be:-:

• Able to manage and motivate people
• Able to analyse and interpret data including financial information
• Calm and flexible when unexpected things happen
• Able to pay close attention to detail
• Good at solving problems and taking responsibility for your decisions
• Able to plan and prioritise

The business simulation demonstrated to pupils that to be successful employers need people who have:-

• Good interpersonal and negotiation skills
• Organisational, numerical and analytical skills
• Experience of using information technology